When You Least Expect It!
by Reinbeauchaser
Summary: Fifth in a Series - When you least expect it, your life can take a turn. Newly retired from service, a Special Forces agent discovers an attitude in a hard shell. A Raphael story!
1. Surprise Encounters

_Ah, totally forgot that when one removes a story, so goes the reviews and the stat count!  ARGGG…  Oh well…Please accept my apologies if this irks you!  Didn't mean to do that….really.  I just wanted to re-tool the chapter and thought it would be better if I just re-did the entire process.  Well, I certainly learned something today! terminally blushes Read if you want to, review if you must, but no pressure here from me!  I only wanted a better story is all.  finds a hole to hide in_

_This is a third re-do of the second upload.  What has been added here is new as is some of the story.  I've augmented Shari's apartment, changed the Hudson River to Croton River, and some compass directions as well.  I'm obsessive with tweaking and twiddling my stories, especially when it involves real locations and situations.   This story is no exception.  _

_I do not own Don Tello ( aka Donatello), Army's Special Forces, Columbia University, Croton-on-Hudson, Croton River, or the rest of the TMNT's.  I only own Shari Brentwood.  I have tried to be as authentic with Croton-on-Hudson as the Internet will allow, but I claim lack of available information for any blatant errors or erroneous misrepresentation of said town and surrounding area.  I have used a real apartment complex located on Old Post Rd in Croton-on-Hudson and that road does lead down towards Croton River.  I love details like that!  LOL_

_Thanks for your understanding and patience!  :0)_

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**CHAPTER 1 – SURPRISE ENCOUNTERS**

Most of us plan our life one career at a time, resting in the security that whatever direction we choose or what fate would allow becomes status quo.  While we're young, we rarely think about our retirement.  Most people who are depositing their pension checks have already raised their children and are enjoying grandkids.  Yet, there are a select few who have been forced to face these new horizons prematurely.

Shari Brentwood is one of those. 

Retiring after twenty years of government work, Shari found her future adrift for the first time in her life.  At thirty-eight, she had outlasted most of her compatriots in her field.  For two decades, she enjoyed her job with the adventures it offered and the challenge and rush it had provided.  She loved the excitement of stealing into enemy territory unaware, completing her assignments and then returning to base before her target would even know what had hit them.  Shari considered her job to be true government work at its best, relishing every moment of it.  However, it was definitely a young person's work and now being older, she had started to feel the strain.  Retirement became a necessity.  She did not want to become a burden or a casualty while in the field.  She didn't want to quit, either, but some things were inevitable.  She learned long ago to adjust her attitude to whatever latitude in life she found herself.  Yet, as a member of the Army's Special Forces – one of only two women so privileged – Shari would have continued in that capacity if it were up to her.  However, rules were rules.  Between those of the government and of aging, she had stretched the limit of those rules by five years.   She had hoped for an advisory position at the Pentagon, but they were far and few between.  Again, it was one more gender barrier that piqued her irritation.  In the end she did not feel like fighting it; not after serving her country and proving her point that women were just as efficient on the front line as any man was!

Now, however, she was looking for work if only to keep busy.  She had to laugh at the options available to her, however.  Short of working as a woman's bouncer for some nightclub or as a secretary for some conglomerate, what she discovered in the way of employment seemed demeaning to her.  The job openings available weren't too appealing and those that did preferred a more masculine presence.  Despite her credentials, job interviewers were not the least bit impressed with the diminutive woman.   After a dozen frustrating dead-ends, she found herself thankful for her government pension.  If it weren't for that, she would have had to look for work at the local fast-food restaurants. 

"D'ya wants fries with that or a punch in the mouth.  You choose and make it quick 'cuz I ain't got all day!"

Yeah, she could really see herself saying that, too!  It made her laugh just imagining the shocked expression on her customers' faces, not to mention the increase of French fry sales to boot. 

"Maybe I'd be good for their business!" she mused, chuckling to herself. 

She knew she had a caustic attitude, directly contributed by her now defunct profession.  However, she was smart enough to know that outside of the military in the 'real' world she would have to make some drastic changes.  Popping someone in the mouth for sassing her or tossing an antagonist over ones shoulder would not work while in a public setting.  For the past few months, Shari had been doing her best to change her instinctive responses.  All things considered, for one who had to acclimate to foreign environments on a moments notice, she thought herself doing quite well with civilian life.

Tossing the want ads of the newspaper onto the floor in frustration, she stood and worked her neck around.  Feeling her shoulders just a tad too tight, Shari stretched her arms up high over her head and then did some right and left side bends to loosen up her shoulders.  Next, she placed her hands on her hips, twisting her torso left and right while in a stationary stand.  As she felt various kinks pop, Shari then sighed in relief.  She was about ready to sit back down when she had a thought.

_"Bet a good run would feel good.  It would certainly help my restlessnes_s_!_"

Deciding that it was a good idea, Shari hurried into her main bedroom of her apartment to slip out of her slacks and shirt.  She quickly pulled on her jogging shorts with its utility belt, followed by her stretch athletic top.  Once she had her socks and running shoes on, from there she went into her adjacent bathroom and pulled her long wheat colored hair into a ponytail, securing it with a scrunchie.  She had kept her hair conveniently short for most of her career.  However, the last couple of years she had allowed it to grow long.  She rather liked her new look; it seemed to allow her to finally be a woman again after working for so many years in a male dominated world. 

Shari's next stop was the kitchen where she grabbed her water bottle, filled it with fresh water, and then hooked it to her belt.  Heading out of her brickwork apartment, she snatched up her portable CD player and headphones.  She locked the front door behind her as she went out, skipping down the steps to the walkway below. 

Cutting across the grass area in front of her apartment, she made for the main thoroughfare.  She jogged lazily east onto Old Post Rd. towards Croton River, a smaller ribbon of water that fed into the great Hudson.  North from where Old Post intersected with Truesdale Dr was several large estates that hogged the river's edge.  She knew of a small footpath that ran along the river between the estates and the water.  Some of the locals in town had said it was one of the more beautiful spots in the area.  However, they mentioned that there had been some newly developing homes over the past few years that were slowly closing off some of the paths.  No one knew for sure how far the paths ran anymore, but Shari decided that it was worth a look just the same.  She was tired of the southerly route she habitually had been taking, anyway, so a change seemed like a good idea.

Croton-on-Hudson, New York was probably the best part of the country to live in.  With all four seasons available, one never tired of the weather.  There was something new every week it seemed.  Shari loved her new town and the people who lived there.  Many who lived in the small city were professors who taught at Columbia University.  However, more residents than not with less impressive resumes called the historic town their own, as well.  It proved to be a good mix, which allowed Shari to blend right in. 

As she jogged along, stopping now and then for motor traffic and stoplights, she clipped her CD player to her belt and then slipped the headphones on.  Mozart was her favorite jogging music, his energetic scores helping her to keep a steady but progressive pace.  After about a mile and a quarter, she was at Croton River.  Shari loved jogging along the Hudson, its broad expanse and busy waterway visually entertaining.  However, today she felt more in the mood for new scenery with a less imposing view.    As she jogged up along the waterway, she watched the smaller river flow south towards the much larger one, hurrying its way to the Atlantic Ocean.  She relished that the weather was warm for May, just enough so that it justified wearing shorts.  It felt good to run and justified her decision to do so.  With lunchtime not too far away, Shari knew that the temperatures would be a little warmer later on in the afternoon.  Right now was a great time for a jog. 

She looked up and noticed the bright blue sky while a sporadic patchwork of white wispy clouds drifted eastward.  Occasionally they would create a diffusion of light from the late morning sun, causing errant shadows to scroll by along the ground.  The various trees that bordered the pathway allowed for shadows now and then as well.  Shari had to marvel at the beauty of the surrounding area.  Whoever it was she overheard yesterday talk about the serenity of the area greatly underscored the truth.  It was quite beautiful, in fact. 

Jogging her way north, Shari noticed the waterfowl meandered up the inlet.  The dozen or so ducks were going against the flow, but by sticking to the shallows and the river's edge, the birds were able to make their way rather well.  Enjoying the peaceful surroundings, Shari allowed herself to get lost among her thoughts.  It had taken a few weeks to relax from the kind of edge she always kept herself on and now it seemed like a breath of fresh air not to worry about watching her back all the time.  It like she was on an extended vacation.

A slight breeze blew in from across the river, a bit of summer on its edge as it caressed her bare legs.  Shari could smell a faint hint of salt from the ocean not too many miles southeast from her.  The flavor of the wind reminded her for a moment of those days when she would ship-out with her fellow service colleagues for a tour of duty.  Those were her early years when the horizon of her career seemed endless.  Now she was in between a thought and a purpose with regards to her future.

However, as she jogged, she noticed that in just three months of not going full tilt with her schedule, she found that her stamina had diminished a little.  She could feel a little bit of burn in her lungs as she paced along, her legs feeling more strain than normal.  Shari berated herself for allowing her retirement to take over her common sense.  When she was still part of the team, jogging ten miles every day was the norm.  Yet, with only three months interruption of her twenty-year routine, she knew that it didn't take much to get out of shape.  Just because she was retired was not an excuse to neglect her physical conditioning.

"Been layin'off the routine a bit too much, ya old broad!" she chided silently to herself, "Get back to that regime instead of sleeping in 'til six.  Yer gett'n soft in yer old age!" Chuckling, she pressed on harder, not one to be undone - not even by her own body. 

As she jogged along the path, the petit woman noticed the wooded area ahead her just to her left.  It piqued her curiosity.  As she came closer to it, she noticed the expansive homes in the general area.  Most were multi-million dollar estates that sat on large pieces of land.  Despite the homes sitting well back from the river and the other less imposing residences, Shari didn't have any trouble seeing their detail. 

One in particular caught her fancy, though. 

She ran evenly along, all the while taking in the impressive home.  The structure was of a French provincial design, complete with curved shutters and the irregular shingled work on the roof.  Several spires and turrets graced the exterior, counting six fireplaces all total.  She smiled in appreciation for the architecture.

"Must be a bear to keep up with all those chimneys to clean!" she thought as she ran. "Cinderella would have nixed the party and just kept on going if she had that to take care of!"  She chuckled just a little at her twisted version of the antiquated fairytale.

There was a split in the path just ahead of her.  One wound down towards the waters edge and continuing a northerly route.  The other swung up to her left and then headed west and away from Croton River towards Truesdale Dr.  Foot traffic was greater in that direction but Shari wanted solitude.  Noticing the more deserted river path, she took it instead.  Being new in the community, she was slightly curious about it anyway based on what she had heard.  However, she was so engrossed looking at the house, watching the river, and staying on the pathway that she completely missed seeing the no trespassing sign.

As she came around the river end of the property, she noticed the perimeter fence.  It was made of rod iron and stood approximately twelve feet high, topped by a display of rather tall and impressive spikes.  The decorative but lethal looking barrier was intimidating.  It warned anyone foolish enough to attempt to have second thoughts about climbing over!  The fence itself ran seemingly unabated as it surrounded the massive and beautifully landscaped grounds.  Shari smiled slightly in response to her impression of the remarkable bit of real estate.  

Down by the water's edge the barrier seemed to skirt the path she was on, placing her between it and Croton River.  The fence ran ahead of her, bending left with the river while running in the same direction as the walkway.  However, the bushes that grew there along the inside made it difficult to judge how far the pathway went.  She did note, however, a very subtle if almost indiscernible sensation as she paced herself by the fence.  Shari had this ability to find and locate security hindrances while in the field.  It was one of her specialties.  Locating and disabling all alarms and intruder alert measures was one of several of her forte's while working Special Forces.  There wasn't any security measure that she couldn't overwhelm and render useless. 

"Do they have that electrified I wonder?  Maybe it has sensors?"  She watched it casually.  As she jogged past a bush, she quickly snatched a few leaves from it.  When she went by an opened area where the lower portion of the iron fence was exposed, she tossed the foliage at it.  Nothing happened.  "Must have sensors, then.  Interesting.  I wonder who would need more security than this fence offers."

She paced herself as she made her way along side, anticipating the possibility of a dead end.  Chancing a look inside the property, though, she noted the grove of trees that were now shielding the house from her closer position. It made it difficult to see the mansion, now.  It was a good size piece of property that gave promise of being much larger than she was able to assess.  However, as Shari passed what she perceived to be the halfway point along the fence, she noticed the trees and bushes had thinned out a little bit, allowing her to glimpse the rear of the large home.  At that point, she suddenly caught site of something standing near to the house that nearly took her breath away.  It was actually a small knot of people milling about on what she determined to be a large rear patio area, complete with a swimming pool and barbeque pit.

"What could this be?" she thought to herself as she slowed down. 

Normally not one to pry or visually invade another's privacy, what she saw was so out of the ordinary that she couldn't help herself.  Shari hadn't noticed that she had stopped jogging.  She wasn't even aware of the impropriety of her current action.  She was now staring straight at the back of the expansive home.  She turned her music off and slipped the headphones from her head, clipping them alongside her CD player.  The house was several acres away, but her 20/10 eyesight allowed her to telescope in without any trouble.  What she was now seeing took a moment for it to register with her.  She looked harder wondering if maybe she was just imagining things. 

Then, it clicked. 

"Don Tello…of course… I should have known." She nearly laughed out loud, but caught herself in time.  She was looking at what was more than likely his family, obviously enjoying some coffee alfresco, based on the mugs they were all holding.  "Who would have thought he lived here?" she thought to herself. She counted three individuals, each appearing to look the same with slight variances in color.  "Heck, I thought he'd demand more privacy than living here out on the river so close to town.  Pretty cheeky of him!"  As she watched, she noticed one human slip out from one of the patio doors, also with a mug of coffee in his hands. "A visitor, perhaps?" she wondered to herself.  He was slightly on the small side compared to the others and appeared Asian from her vantage point. 

Then, another like the family came out but this one was slightly different.  Three more, but much smaller, followed from behind.  "Hmm…children?  Interesting, very interesting indeed!"

She was amused that her neighbor was one of the government's most prolific manufacturers and contributors of security equipment and inventions.  Shari shook her head at the irony of living so close to such a person.  Unknowingly, he had probably provided her with more state of the art equipment to do her job than any other like supplier.   Laughing a little to herself and satisfied to know who lived there, she was ready to continue her run. 

However, someone from behind suddenly caught her by her right shoulder.

Surprised that she hadn't even been aware of anyone approaching, Shari instinctively whirled around and grabbed her assailant's offending hand.  At the same time, she dropped like a rock.  She heard a metallic crunch beneath her and knew in an instant that her CD player was ruined.  However, for the moment she ignored it.  In a movement that was more out of reflex that design, she then quickly and expertly braced her legs up against his midsection, pulling him off balance.  In a fraction of a second, she had him tossed over her now prone body.  She next heard him hit the ground in front of her with a rather loud thud.  Leaping up and doing a ninety degree turn, Shari faced her adversary.  She crouched low with her hands up and her feet at the ready.  Despite the bruise forming on her hip from falling on her CD player, she held her breath for the next attack. 

None came. 

Her response had taken less than two seconds to complete.  Being surprised over the assault and not at all sure who it was that had grabbed at her; she took in the now startled form laying prone on the concrete pathway.  Hearing the delayed echo of something clang as it hit the pavement a second earlier, her mind was now catching up to what she saw lying before her. 

"Oh my God, I can't believe I did that!  I am SO sorry!  I had no idea." she exclaimed in utter shock.  She quickly straightened up and went over to offer her hand to the prone figure.  She heard him reply rather gruffly.

"Lady, I was just gonna ask what yer doin' here is all!"  He said irritably, struggling to ease up off of his back.

He took Shari's outstretched apology and allowed her to assist him back up to stand in front of her. 

"Then why didn't ya just ask?  Why'd ya go an' sneak up on me an' grab my shoulder like that?  Good grief I could've hurt you!" she complained.  Of course, where her CD player had been clipped, her hip was now smarting.   It was kind of ironic to her that she was the one hurting.  It now lay in three pieces on the ground by her feet, definitely broken beyond repair. 

"Not very likely!" he shot back grumpily, seeming to be irritated with her and probably a bit embarrassed with himself as well.  He brushed the dirt off of himself and glared unhappily at the woman standing before him. 

Now that the pleasantries were over, Shari was able to get a better look at her ex- assailant.  She knew immediately whose family he belonged to, which only added to her embarrassment.  Wiping her hands on the side of her shorts, she reintroduced her right one in a gesture of friendliness to dispel the awkward situation, "My name's Shari Brentwood, ex-government employee and 'tosser' of unsuspecting people!" She smiled, hoping her sense of humor might diffuse an ugly situation.

"Yeah? Well, be careful who ya toss.  Next time I just might not be so 'unsuspecting'!" he grouched, not a hint that he had caught her wit.  He stared at her in assessment.  He gave one discerning look her way and then asked, "So, didn't you see the sign back there?  This path's restricted to residents only – namely those that live _here_!"  He jerked his head towards the house with a slight scowl to his face.

She mentally rewound her previous actions from before her encounter.  Shari soon realized that she had invaded the privacy of one resident who probably valued it more than most people who lived here.  She felt her face flush hot with personal chastisement and realized her offense. "I'm sorry; sort of forgot where I was. I didn't notice the sign – which is no excuse.  I should have been more aware, I guess."  She waited for a response from him, but none came.  Feeling uncomfortable, she explained quickly, "I – ah – just moved into the area about three months ago after retiring.  Thought I'd take in a jog to ease my boredom is all.  Followed the public path and it sort of led me here!"

"So you always stop and gawk at people's houses like that?" he asked sarcastically.

"No, I don't…but I happen to appreciate French provincial and – well – there it is!" she waved her right hand towards the distant house. "And, I guess when I saw your family it took a moment to remember who you were.  It sort of surprised me at first is all."

He looked at her intently and, satisfied that she was sincere, asked, "You can see that far?"

Shari nodded, "I have good eyesight; comes in handy once in a while."

"Such as snooping on people, I suppose?" he stated sarcastically.  Then he changed the subject, "So, why're you bored?"  He allowed a slight grin, which seemed odd on his particular face.  He had been quite unprepared for her ability to throw him as she had.  He was quite intrigued, that was certain. 

Shari wasn't too certain what to make of his expression.  She thought it quite interesting, though, the way the conversation was going.  One minute he was interrogating her and the next he was engaging in casual chit- chat.

"Well, to be honest – I'm retired." She replied briskly.  Then, catching her self and realizing she was saying more than she needed to, she added, "But, I have to get going.  So, if it's all right with you I'll be on my way!"  Shari then bent down and scooped up her broken CD player.  She started to turn back around to go the other way, but he quickly moved in front of her. 

"You don't look old enough to retire to me." He asked suspiciously.

Shari replied rather tartly, "And you're an expert in what retired people look like, I suppose?"

He grinned at her arrogance and chuckled a little.  "So, you rich or something?  Would have to be to retire so young!"

_"What is it with him?"_ she thought irritably. "You know, it's really none of your business, but for the record, _I am_ retired but I'm also looking for a job.  So if you don't mind, I'd like to continue my run so I can get back to the want ads, okay?"  Shari attempted to skirt around him once again, but he expertly blocked her a second time.

"What kind of job?" He seemed too inquisitive for her tastes.

"What?" she asked, not too happy about having her way blocked yet another time and surprised that he would be so intrusive.  She thought it odd he would even express any interest at all.

Repeating himself, "A job; what kind of job are you looking for?  Secretary work, stuff like that?" 

He was quite sincere, but Shari just rolled her eyes, "Nope, over qualified, I'm afraid" She tried again to move around him so she could resume her run.  Again, stepping in front of her he kept her from her agenda.

"No, I'm serious….what kind of job?  Okay, let me ask you this.  What kind of government work did you do?" he inquired insistently.

Shari realized she wasn't going to advance towards her goal anytime soon, as long as he continued to get in her way.  With her hands on her hips, she replied dryly, "I can't really tell you because it was classified."

He commented with a sneer, "Oh, I see.  So if you told me what you did then you'd have to kill me, right?" He laughed a little as he cocked one eye ridge up at her in amusement.

With a straight face and being as serious about it as she could, Shari replied, "Exactly.  Now…if you don't mind!" and she attempted to once again make her way around him.  However, the sound of another voice coming from behind stopped her in her tracks. 

"What's going on, Raph?  Is she giving you trouble?" it asked.

Shari wheeled around defensively, now feeling surrounded.   Dropping her broken CD player and putting her hands up instinctively in defense, she backed up towards the river to face another newly arriving confrontation.  This person she recognized, at least from her years working for the government.  His face and name was quite familiar to her.  Considering all the times she had heard of him move among the military circles she knew herself, she was quite aware of his influence.  Though she doubted very much he would know her since they had never formally met, she allowed that possibility just the same.  She knew of his reputation for knowing his ally as well as his enemy.  However, Shari would still feign ignorance, though, because of the type of clandestine work that she performed for the past two decades.  Regardless that his inventions were the reason for her successes, Shari would never divulge her assignments or her true name – not even to this one now standing before her.

He looked at her and then he smiled as if in recognition.  Reaching out with his right hand, he exclaimed, "Shari Brentwood!  Didn't know you lived here!  I'm Don Tello!"

Rather taken aback, Shari hesitantly took his extended gesture and shook it, wondering how in the world he had known who she was!  The fact that he called her by her cover name told Shari that Don Tello was more than a brilliant inventor and a financial mogul.

It told her that he knew more than he should. 

It concerned her - a great deal in fact!


	2. Followed

_Disclaimer: I'm trying to set the stage, here, so bear with me!  I do not own any TMNT's or the Pentagon, though my taxes would say otherwise about the latter!  I know that the Pentagon has a gymnasium.  Yet whether or not it has an observation room is another matter all together.  From here on out, I haven't a clue how the Army Special Forces work or operate, either.  I probably should have invented a less high profile operation but I love facts and details, so…  Still, I just might change Shari's old affiliation to something made up just so I don't' have to worry about 'getting it right'!  _

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Chapter 2 - Followed     

As soon as Shari realized that Don recognized her, she mentally backtracked to the few times she had seen him at the Pentagon.  Because of his uniqueness, it wasn't hard to notice when he would visit.  Though Shari's work did involve Don as far as utilizing his inventions, she flew too far below the radar as far as he was concerned.  Whenever she was in Washington, what she did there was undercover work.  It gave credibility to her public life, diverting any unwarranted attention from her more clandestine profession.  Where she worked at the Pentagon was unrelated to whatever dealings Don Tello had in government, anyway.  How he was able to recognize her now was a mystery.

"I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage, Mr. Tello!" she exclaimed lightly.  Yes, she would definitely have to maintain her secretarial image, even though some back peddling would be in order.  For one thing, it would have to be explained how she was able to throw his brother just a moment ago.

"Ah," Don replied, "I see.  Well, I saw you one time at the Pentagon.  It must have been about five or six years ago.  You were General Tallen's secretary, I believe."

Shari sighed inwardly in relief, "Yes, I did work for him for a time.  But I don't remember being introduced to you."

"We weren't." Don said in response. "But I wanted to see the gymnasium there at the time.  You were working out, if I recall correctly."

Shari felt just a little uncomfortable right about then.  Yes, she did work out in the gym at the Pentagon, but it wasn't one's normal workout routine.  It consisted of about six difficult katas that she routinely used to keep herself sharp while working a desk job.  Yet, they were not her usual method of keeping in shape.  Going one on five against her fellow soldiers with hand-to-hand combat was her favorite way to maintain her edge. However, at the Pentagon it would have drawn too much attention.  Though many secretaries there often engaged in martial arts, they did so as a hobby and not because of their profession.  Still, it helped to keep Shari from standing out too much.  Some of Shari's fellow typists were soldiers, as well, but they weren't in the same capacity as she.

"How did you know that I was Tallen's secretary, then?" she asked him.

"I asked the soldier who was with me." Don replied evenly, smiling.

"I find that rather intrusive.  After all, I was on my break." She declared indignantly with her hands on her hips.  She noticed that Raph was now smirking.

Don smiled and said, "I tried not to be, Ms. Brentwood.  I watched through the observation room.  However I do have to say that I was impressed with your 'break' at the time."  Cocking his head to one side he added, "Might explain why you so were so efficiently able to throw my brother just a moment ago!"  He seemed all too amused, which did not rest well with Shari.  "For a secretary, you seemed rather talented with the 'arts."

"Hmm…yeah, well maybe I am.  Still…" glancing at Raph and dripping with sarcasm she offered, "I am sorry I tossed ya!" Raph's smirk died away as he narrowed his eyes at her, catching her intent. Shari smiled and then looked back at Don, "Being out here alone kicked up my defenses a little." She explained somewhat contritely.  

Well, there was her explanation, but she was miffed he had figured it out.  She watched the two who now seem to be assessing her.  It did not make her too comfortable, either, considering how she was dressed and the fact that it was obvious Don's brother had become even less amused with her.

"Well, I would like to get on with my run, if that's all right with you?" Shari stated.  She waited this time.  She rather hated the idea of being blocked yet there wasn't any way she would give Don's brother another opportunity to do so!

"Oh, most certainly, Ms. Brentwood." Don entreated, but then he noticed just in front of him the broken CD player lying on the ground. He bent down and scooped up the broken electronics and, handing it to Shari, asked, "Might I replace your damaged goods?"

Shari took it from him and shook her head, "No need to.  I'll just be going!" and with that she made a deliberate attempt to pass them.  In order to get to the pathway, she had to go in between the two of them.  It only made it that much more urgent to pick up the pace as she set out for home.  It was now very clear to Shari that her run would have to wait another day.  Most importantly, she would stick to her southerly route from now on!  There would be no more exploring, especially north along the Croton River!

As they watched the woman jog rather quickly down the path, Don made a comment to his brother, "Raph, I thought I'd never see the day when a woman would catch you unprepared like that!" 

"Certainly wasn't expecting it.  Totally caught me off guard." Raph said defensively.  "Won't happen again, you can be sure!"

Then Don turned to Raph and said, "I'd like to know where she lives.  When you report back, you can fill me in on what the two of you were talking about before I interrupted!"

Raph nodded and then watched as the woman rounded onto Old Post Rd.  That was when he took off, careful to keep to the bushes and in among the shadows.  Croton-on-Hudson might have been where he lived years ago when he first married Rahab, but just the same, his family was still considered an oddity.  No matter where they planted themselves, they would always be that.  It was just something that they had all learned to tolerate.  However, to be caught going stealth inside city limits would not be good for their reputation.  Consequently, Raph kept to the shadows and bushes as much as possible.

Shari grumbled to herself, not the least bit happy with the confrontation with Don Tello. "Of all PEOPLE!" she chided herself. "The moment I saw them back there on that patio, I should have hightailed it out of there.  Stupid!" she continued her personal assault.

Then, a familiar tingling nipped at the back of her neck, the feeling that she was being followed.  Shari never ignored such warnings, not in her private life and certainly not out in the field.  She had this gut feeling that Don Tello would not allow her to leave his company that easily, not without a tail, anyway.  Since he hadn't even known she was living here – and obsessive as she heard he was about being aware of friend or foe, – it made sense to find out where she lived.  Well, she would certainly teach them a thing or two!  

Instead taking Old Post Rd to get home, Shari turned left at the first street, which was Morningside Dr.  She ambled along at a leisurely pace, mindful of the person some fifty yards behind her.  Shari feigned ignorance, wanting her follower to assume she wasn't aware of him.  She jogged easily over the pavement as Morningside bore left just a little, continuing to follow the street as it took her through a residential area.  She transitioned onto Lexington, next, which put her in a northwesterly direction.  That street connected to Park Ave, which turned out to be a rather short block of more privately owned homes.  Turning left onto Cleveland, which was the next thoroughfare, Shari could still sense the person behind her.  It was starting to irritate her just a little. 

"Why can't he just give it up and go back home?  I'm not a threat to them." She mused to herself. 

She took Cleveland to where it intersected with Whelan Ave.  She then noticed more traffic off to her left.  Certain of whom it was that was following her, Shari knew that he probably didn't want to be seen.  Smiling inwardly, she made for the busier and more populated road.  There was a traffic circle up ahead and it seemed quite congested for the moment.  She had always thought such intersections were the most dangerous things to try to get through.  It was like playing Russian roulette with your car.  Traffic in the circle was not obligated to slow down for those trying to join the roundabout.  After all, if one was lucky enough to get 'in', you rode it until you found the street you needed to get onto!  Courtesy was not mandatory.  It was primarily every driver for him self!

As she came up to the main thoroughfare, which was Benedict Blvd, Shari felt a lingering hesitation from behind her.  

"Good.  You better have second thoughts!" she chuckled triumphantly.

Turning right onto the street, she jogged south, on down to the end just before the freeway.  It was a good run of about six hundred meters.  By the time she arrived at her destination, she was starting to get a winded.  

"I really need to stretch my runs instead of acting like I'm retired!" she complained under her breath. "I'm way too young to be sucking wind like this!" she panted.  

As soon as she arrived at S. Riverside Ave, Shari turned right and followed it along with the flow of traffic.  The rush of cars drowned out her footsteps as she jogged along, making it difficult for her to hear any one else that might be behind her.  Before too long she came to a park that angled off to her right along Bungalow Rd.  She thought about taking a hike through it and maybe slipping in among the bushes there.  She would really like to know who it was following her.  She wanted to get home, though.  She knew that there was a street further along that ran northeast and intersected with Old Post Rd.  Yet she was confident that whoever it was that had been following her was now on his way back home.  Shari decided to make for Maple St.  She was certain who it was as she thought about it.  The timing and the coincidence was just to close together for it to be any one other than Raph – Don's brother.    

"Raph…short for …what?" She asked herself.  "Ralph?  Raphael?" 

She thought about his name as she trudged up Riverside Ave.  She had to smile to herself thinking back to his expression when she threw him to the ground.  He definitely looked surprised and not the least bit happy.  Shari chuckled in amusement.  "Well, served him right for sneaking up on me.  Maybe next time he'll be more cautious!"

Finally, she slowed down the pace just a little to catch her second wind.  She knew that when she finally did get back to her apartment, a long shower was her next goal.  That and maybe lunch, as well.  She was famished!  However, she kept her 'proximity alarm' on high alert just in case Raph managed to track her again.  That is if indeed it was Raph.  Who else would it be?  Though never assuming anything until proven out, Shari was pretty convinced that it was Don's brother.

Soon she reached Maple St.  It afforded plenty of traffic and people, a perfect street if there ever was one in case her tail had figured out where she was heading.  As she came to Old Post Rd, she turned left in a northwesterly direction, thankful to be back on the street that would take her home.  She trudged along, glad that she was nearing the end of her run, which had turned out to be longer in length and time than she had planned on.  She was past the burn in her lungs, thankfully, grabbing that precious second wind somewhere along S. Riverside Ave.  Whoever it was that had been tailing her seemed to have given up, which was just as well.  Shari did not feel like trying to lose him all over again.  

Catching sight of her apartment complex, she slowed down to a walk.  She felt refreshed despite the marathon run.  "I definitely have to start back with the old routine!" she lamented to herself.  "Never know when I'm goin' ta get myself tailed again!"  She laughed a little and realized that for some odd reason she rather enjoyed the 'chase' and intrigue.  It had been a little while since she had such excitement.  

Rounding the corner of the apartments and heading into the complex, Shari took her usual route to hers.  It was just a little past noon and the sun was high overhead.  Between the location of the apartments and the trees that lined the way, she walked along in the shade.  It felt good, too, as it was becoming more apparent that the day was turning into a warm one.

"Yes, it's definitely going to be hot today!" she mused.  

Then she thought about some of the want ads she had read earlier.  Shari realized that at the time she read them, she had been frustrated with retirement in general.  She realized that her mood had colored her attitude regarding many of the job openings.  Now after a good hard run, she was in a better frame of mind. "Maybe some of them weren't so bad." Shari thought to herself. "I'll take another look; maybe something will jump out at me!"

No sooner had she thought that than something triggered her senses again.  

"What the…" she complained under her breath. "How did he find me?' 

Deciding that it would be fruitless to attempt another diversion, Shari decided to just flip it off and head for her apartment.  She was tired and getting cranky, not at all in the mood for games.  Whoever it was that followed her here pretty much figured it out that this was where she lived anyway.  It was a done deal all the way around.

"Fine, so 'you' know where I live!" she said half out loud and just a little bit sarcastically. "Give the guy a prize!  Hope it made yer day!"  Seething, she made a beeline for her steps, skipping up effortlessly and acting as natural as she could.  She keyed the lock and then turned the handle to her door.  Slipping inside her apartment, she closed the door quickly, resting her back up against it as she took measured breathes.   Then Shari moved slowly over to where she could look out the sheer curtained living room window. 

It was a large window, overlooking the grass area in front of her apartment.  She was well back from it so that her image would not be easily discernable.  She watched with trained eagle-sharp eyes.   The trees alongside the buildings across the way provided shadows.  They would be a perfect spot to set up and wait.  The bright noonday sun would blind anyone happening to look there.  Right now, such lighting did not hinder Shari since she was inside.  She waited and she watched.   Then, ever so subtly, she saw him.

"Yep, the one I flipped earlier." She seethed, letting fly a few well-chosen colorful metaphors that seemed to roll too easily off her tongue.  "Son of a .…." she muttered under her breath.  She watched and grated her teeth as he saluted her military style from across the expanse of lawn before taking off.  Raph slipped in among the shadows,  disappearing around the bend and out of sight.  

It was perfectly obvious that he had seen her.  

It was also perfectly clear that Don Tello would now know where she lived.

"Great, just great!" she complained, "All I want is peace and quite and now this!  Why in the world would he have me followed in the first place?"

Standing there and irritated with herself, Shari felt violated.  She never allowed herself to be 'one-upped' like that.  Her reputation for eluding people was solid.  However, she had never gone up against something like this.  She was used to dealing with humans, not mutant turtles, though!  Maybe there was something to learn here, one more skill to develop and hone.  Still, her failure wasn't going to keep her from her next task.  Shrugging it off, Shari headed for her bathroom. 

~*~*~

She felt better after her shower.  Toweling herself off, she turned her radio on and hummed along to a familiar song.  She dried her hair and thought about her run earlier.  She had to admire Raph's tenacity; though she felt he could have put it to better use.  Trailing her only made her mad and that wasn't a good thing.  Yet considering how she just flipped him a while ago, maybe she was due.  She could accept that, but if it had been up to her, a simple sparring match would have been better.  A visit to the Tello estate would definitely be in order after today.   At the very least, to assure the family that she wasn't a threat to them.

She quickly went into her bedroom and dressed, feeling famished now that it was nearly one in the afternoon.  Refreshed and not nearly as upset as she was an hour earlier, she decided to grab a bite to eat.  Heading for the kitchen, she stopped dead in her tracks.  Sitting on her kitchen table was a box, wrapped in plain white paper and tied with red ribbon.  An envelope sat upright against it with her name neatly written on the front.  She looked around furtively and then quickly checked her front door.  It was locked, just as she had left it.  Checking the windows, she found them to be secured as well.  

"So how in hell did that get in here?" she asked herself as she walked back to the kitchen.  

Taking the envelope and lifting up the flap, she slipped the card out.  Opening it, she knew immediately who had written the card.

"Don Tello!  How did he get in here and how dare he break into my home!" 

Slapping the card down, she ripped the ribbon from the box and tore the paper off in a huff.  Shari did not tolerate well anyone breaking into her place.  Regardless of what was inside, she made up her mind that she would definitely be paying someone a visit.

As she took the top of the box off, she saw immediately a brand new portable CD player sitting neatly inside, along with an equally new Mozart CD.  

In fact, it was the same composition ruined earlier when she threw Raph.  

"Probably called my address in as soon as he knew where I lived."  She mused as she sat down on one of the kitchen chairs.  Then, as she looked inside the box again out of curiosity, she saw an additional note. 

"Hmm…wonder what this is?" she grumbled. "Maybe it's an apology for breaking and entering?"

Opening the single folded paper, she read its message.  Shaking her head and smiling she knew in that moment that Don Tello would definitely be seeing her again.  He had in fact invited her to dinner that evening.  

If he only realized how she was going to use that invitation, he might not have been so gracious!  "We'll just see how cocky he is once I'm through with him!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_LADY VENOM2: Yeah, I re-do all the time.  In fact, I've augmented the first chapter of Just Outside My Window yesterday!  Had a friend who wanted to read just one chapter so I was just going to send a copy via E-mail.  When I read it before doing that, though, I found too many areas that needed improvement.  My writing has changed a bit since that first chapter!  Anyway, thanks for your kind comments re: this one!  As for Raph's temper, this is set in the Gabriella universe but before she comes onto the scene.  There is about a 10-year gap or so where nothing is mentioned in the Rahab series.  Precedes Gaele and Seth.  If you read Wendy Peabody's Rahab, you'll know that Raph was left in Japan, but he didn't necessarily stay there!  Thanks for reading and reviewing!  Be blessed._

_VESTQUEX:  Goodness, what were you on? LOL  Love your enthusiasm.  Thanks!  Yeah, I lost a lot of reviews when I took it off to re-do it. I wanted the author alerts to get triggered again but forgot that I lose the comments and stats when I did that.  Oh well…  I had about 4 comments overall.  Keeps me going, of course.  I haven't a clue where this is going to go, but I want action this time.  My biggest problem though is getting there while I wade through setting the characters up.  That's my biggest hurdle with every story I write.  I'm obsessive re: details and so I take too much time with the personalities and such. Thanks for reading and reviewing!  Be blessed!_

_ACE 1413:  Thanks for posting your second review on this.  I really appreciate it, too!  Yeah, I'm gong to be as surprised as anyone reading this how things will develop.  I need to figure out how this will end, too.  Once I have that determined, the rest should pan out well enough.  I hope, anyway!  Thanks – again – for reading and reviewing!  Be blessed._


	3. Intruder Alert!

_Disclaimer: Sorry for taking so long with this update. Writers block took up residence at my computer terminal. GAH!! Nope, still don't own 'em. Own Shari Brentwood, though. Need a body guard? I'll rent her out…oops, she just told me to…oops, I've only rated this fic to a PG13, so – ahem – I can't type out what she just told me. Anyway…moving right along…._

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**CHAPTER 3 – Intruder Alert**

Shari looked at the invitation again. The time on the card said that she was to arrive at the Tello residence for dinner by seven o'clock. It was a good bet that, aside from just being gracious, Don only wanted to find out more about her. Knowing his suspicious nature, he probably thought it too coincidental that she – a government employee – ended up living so close to him. Yet, Shari knew that a coincidence was all that it was.

She mentally went over her list again. She was certain that Don's security products riddled his property. With what Shari was planning, she needed to review what she knew about them. Fortunately, Don had provided a wealth of safety information and security measures to the U.S. government. Because it was part of her job with Special Forces to compromise such installations, Shari understood just about each and every component he made. In fact, deciphering how he assembled his inventions had been a government-sanctioned assignment of hers. One thing that Don Tello never did was to let his buyers know how his systems worked! Yet, there had been a fear among her superiors that during Shari's excursions abroad, she and her team would come across equipment that were Tello Industry products. Therefore, it was prudent to understand just how they worked and how to override them.

Currently, she was mentally clicking off all systems with which she was familiar. With every manufacturer, there were certain attributes that linked their products together. Whether it was the layout of the circuit board or how they aligned the sensors, they followed a pattern, thereby, making it easy to find each system's 'Achilles heel'.

The trouble with Don Tello's, however, was that he added subtle differences with each product his company made. No two were alike, or so it seemed. His ingenious methods made it nearly impossible to find the one key that would fail each system. Consequently, Shari had devoted hundreds of hours to discover the oddity and quirk that linked all of Tello's products. It was so secret and so high priority within the Pentagon that Shari had been the only one with clearance to work on them. Now, with her retirement, she had to pass that information on to her replacement.

Yet, it didn't keep her from retaining such knowledge!

Additionally, with every product, there were gradual improvements which made its successor just a little more advanced than its predecessor. Shari had learned to recognize which direction these improvements would take so that she would know the best way to compromise them in the field. Given what she was planning on doing that evening, she was mentally reviewing what she knew about the latest perimeter warning systems that Tello Industries had manufactured. More than likely, he would have a completely different if not more advanced version for his home than what he had provided for the government.

Looking at the clock in her kitchen, Shari saw that she had about an hour before Don would be expecting her. Unless he had more information about her than he let on, he would not be assuming anything other than her punctual arrival. She had other plans, though, and a wry smile began to play across her face as she thought about it.

::::::::::::::

"So, you think she'll come?" Raph asked as he sipped his Seven 'n Seven. He was standing by the expansive living room window that over-looked the darkening rose garden. It was almost six thirty and the day was slowly ebbing towards sunset. He watched the shadows as they lengthened through the grove of trees in the distance, not far from where he had first met the woman earlier in the day.

"Who knows? At the very least, she might if only to give me a piece of her mind for having you breaking and entering her apartment." Don replied casually, sitting down on the divan with his brandy-snifter in hand. He swirled the dark liquid within the glass orb, allowing it's oxygenation to enhance the flavor of the liqueur. Bringing the glass up to his lips, he sipped just a little of its contents, tasting the cordial seductively. He savored the experience with closed eyes and allowed the sweetness to caress his tongue. Then, nearly sighing in ecstasy, he swallowed the last of his portion. He then opened his eyes and found his brother staring at him.

"What?" he asked as if he had been caught doing something wrong.

"Nothing." Raph turned back towards the window, taking a sip of his drink from his own glass.

"That wasn't a 'nothing' look, Raph. What's wrong?" Don insisted.

Raphael turned back toward his brother and, with a lopsided grin, explained, "The way you drink your brandy, you'd think it was a woman!" and he chuckled as he noticed Don's reddening face.

"I don't do it like _that!"_ Don complained. He defensively sat his glass down on the brass and glass coffee table before him. Leaning back against the divan with his arms draped across the back and then crossing his legs, he remarked, "I enjoy my drink, yes, but I know how to enjoy it the right way!"

"Hmm…if you'd enjoy women the way you did that drink, you'd be a little less lonely, too!" Raph laughed again.

Don glared at his brother and shook his head, "Maybe you need the company more than I do!" He didn't appreciate the comment at all. Don had just lost probably the only woman he would have felt comfortable with to cancer. It was a hard loss, but one that he was coming to terms with just the same. Considering his history of failed if not deadly relationships, women were not as necessary as they once were when he was younger.

"Why's that, brother dear?" Raph sipped at his drink.

Regaining his composure, Don replied good-naturedly, "Because, you're the one who's put a sexual emphasis on the way I drink my brandy. It was the farthest thing from my thoughts, but it seems as if you're the one preoccupied with it!" and now it was Don's turn to laugh.

Raph laughed in kind and turned back around to watch the shadows of the approaching night deepen throughout the back yard. "I've had enough of women, both reptile and human. Why go to the bother of inviting this government employee to dinner, though?" he turned to face Don once again.

"You said she needed a job and I may have one for her." Don reached over towards his glass, snatching it up and taking in a larger than normal swig of the brandy. This time he nearly challenged Raphael by swallowing the liquid in one gulp. He smiled triumphantly. His esophagus was burning like a wildfire. However, he'd never own up to it, not with Raph's gaze firmly entrenched on his as he watched.

Satisfied that Don was suffering, Raph asked, "So, what kind of job do you have for her? After all, you did say she was a secretary to that General whathaveyou…."

Don replied, slightly hoarse from the brandy, "General Tallen. She told you that she worked classified."

"Yeah, she did and then said something about killing me if she told me anything about it. But, you know that's just a bunch of talk. Yeah, as if she's Navy Seal or someth'n." Raph chuckled and then took another drink from his glass. He noted that he was going to need a fill-up soon.

"Well, she threw you! She can't be your ordinary, run-of-the-mill file clerk. What I saw five years ago in that gym was someone well trained in martial arts!" Don's voice reflected awe and one being very impressed with the memory.

Raph swung his head back around in shock, "What? You think she's ninja? Come on, Don…that gal's anything but ninja. She might know a thing or two about protecting herself, but she ain't no ninja." Raph nearly choked on the words as he laughed.

"Didn't say she was, but how many women in your lifetime have had the ability to throw you like this Shari Brentwood did?" Don asked casually.

Raph didn't answer, but turned back around to face the window again and took a gulp of his drink. His back stiffened as he considered Don's words. He worked the inside of his jaw as he thought about what he said. He noticed his glass was empty now. He looked at it hard and wondered about getting himself another drink or wait until Don's guest arrived. He knew it was only ten minutes later than what it was ten minutes ago – and he was antsy. Why, he didn't know, but he did know that Don's comment had changed his attitude in an instant.

It had been years, two decades actually, since that first encounter in New York. That very first encounter his family had with the Foot. April's apartment had suffered terribly from the aftermath, but he had suffered even more. Yet only one Foot soldier had been sent to challenge him – and a girl at that! He had nearly laughed at the idea when he first saw her – and she was good, too! He had to admit to that, although it took years for him to realize it. The girl had expertly shadowed him along the rooftop until she was nearly on top of him. Raph's own personal proximity alarm had warned him. Maybe it was an offshoot from his basic animal instincts with ninjitsu enhancements, but it had saved his life, that much was certain. She had been ready to decapitate him, too! Had he not turned around at the last moment and deflected her strike with his sais, she would have.

He had underestimated her, as well, and he knew she was a she! Though her flack jacket tried to conceal her form, her feminine shape was not hard to miss. That was his first clue. At the start, he was somewhat amused, thinking that maybe she had been an initiate sent in to prove herself. He allowed her to advance on him, eager to see what she knew. He was cocky; something that Leo always accused him of but he always flatly denied. He learned that day that Leo had been right! Early on in the battle, he discovered her moves were clean and well trained. He had been impressed, even pleased, as if he were the master assessing an aspiring student's ability. However, he learned quickly enough that this Foot soldier was anything but a student. The way she moved, the efficiency with which she countered and anticipated each of his return strikes had told him that he was up against someone equal to himself – and maybe even a little bit better! It became a rude awakening, making him take notice of just how desperate his and his family's existence was in trying to stay alive. She represented the very thing that wanted to snuff it all out and he would have killed her that day if she hadn't had almost beaten him to it.

"Not many, that's for sure." Was all Raph would say to Don's question. In fact, being the only one, the female Foot soldier from two decades ago remained in a category all by herself. For a moment, Raph wondered what had become of her. Maybe in his family's subsequent battles they had met again but unaware. Possibly, she had been killed during one of the skirmishes they had with the Foot. With their faces hidden by their doji, Shredder's army of ninja warriors was impossible to discern from one another.

"Well, either way, I'm hoping Shari take the job. Your ex needs the help and what I'll pay this woman should bring her around to accepting my offer." Don mused.

"Does Rahab know you're doing this?" Raph asked as he sat his glass down on the coffee table and took one of the chairs across from the divan. He decided he'd wait until the woman arrived and then join her in a drink – provided she did, that is.

"Ah, no, I haven't gone that far with it, yet. But, with four kids to handle – including your hyperactive son – she needs the help." Don sat his now-empty glass down next to the other one, leaning back against the couch once again.

"You know how Rahab feels about humans!" Raph snorted out, "She's never been at ease with any of 'em; only tolerates the maid because you insist upon it. They give her the creeps the way they look at her and all." Raph shook his head, "I don't know, Don. Maybe you need to talk with her about it before you go making this woman an offer."

"I've already talked with Mike and…" Don began to say, but the beeper tucked inside his jacket went off. "What the…" He took the gadget out of his inside pocket and looked at it. "The north gate's been compromised! Who in blazes…." Don now stood and quickly made for the doorway that lead down a hall towards the north end of the house, "Someone's broken through my defense measures!"

Now Raph was in step with his brother, "Good thing Mike and Rahab left earlier with the kids. She'd freak if she had to go through another episode like what happened nine years ago at your other house."

"No kidding!" Don seethed. The two turtles scrambled down the hallway, each grabbing one of four decorative swords displayed along one wall. Soon, they went out a far door and into the night towards the direction of the intrusion.

:::::::::::::::::::::

Summer was soon to arrive, but there was just enough bite from the fast retreat of winter to put a reasonable chill in the outside air. Raph wasn't too happy about it, either. "I thought you said these defenses of yours were impenetrable?" he grumped, shrugging his shoulders up against the coolness of the night.

"They are! Not even the government knows about 'em!" Don seethed irritably.

They both walked silently through the deepening dark of the estate, keeping to the shadows almost instinctively. They were keenly aware of their surroundings, but noted nothing out of place. Yet, something had triggered Don's pager alarm.

The pager had shown Don what point in the fence had been compromised. However, upon their inspection, there wasn't anything amiss. Both Don and Raph took opposite directions along the rod iron barrier, their acute night vision and senses on high alert. After a fifteen-minute search, they returned to the point of origin and concluded that whatever it was, it had not succeeded in breeching Don's security.

"Maybe it was a raccoon?" Raph suggested, hiding his smirk as he scratched his snout.

"Maybe…but I doubt it." Don replied warily. "Very odd. Hmm…I wonder." Then, he declared, "Might have been a decoy! I think we need to get back to the house!"

The two started towards the expansive home. "Remind me tomorrow to call in my security team again." Don asked Raph, "Try as I might to live normally, I don't think that will ever happen."

Raph chuckled, "Brilliant as you are, Don, you're just now realizing that?" The next thing he knew, Raph was shoved off-balance. "Hey, just stating the obvious, Mr. Tello!" he jested. He heard his brother laugh under his breath, but made no other comment, continuing quickly towards the house.

:::::::::::::::::

After replacing the swords onto the wall display, the two turtles headed back towards the main living room. Raph noted his watch read that it was now seven sharp. They should be expecting their guest at any time. "Hey, she should be arriving pretty soon."

"Yeah, but if we have problems brewing here, I may have to send her home and…." Don started to say, but as he led the way into the living room, he stopped short, nearly causing Raph to slam into him from behind.

"Hey, keep going, Speed Bump!" Raph complained.

"Ah, maybe you need to come around me, Raph…you're not going to believe this!" said Don, his voice a whisper.

When Raph came from around his brother to see what he was talking about, what he saw in the living room occupying the same chair that he had earlier and holding a glass half filled with brandy was not what he had expected.

Taking a sip of the liqueur and then holding the glass up one-handed as if it were a trophy, Shari Brentwood casually smiled at them, smug and triumphant, "Well, boys, glad you could join me! I do hate to drink alone!"

Don could only smile and shake his head in amazement, while Raph glowered.

Shari was using his glass!

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_**ACE1413** – Yeah, Shari gave Raph a real eye opener, that's for sure. Hard to say how this will 'run', but I'm hoping for some sparring here and there. Thanks for reading and reviewing! Be blessed._

_**RAVENPHEOIXFIRE** - Wow, been a while, Raven! How've you been? Glad you're liking this story. Shari is what I wish I was – interesting! :0) Well, I hope this chapter was as good. No action yet, but implied, I guess. Still early in the story, but evenutually I'll have some shell-kicking action – I hope! Thanks for reading and reviewing! Be blessed._

_**PHOENIX-RISING** – Humor, an elusive treasure when pursued, but when looking the other way has a habit of crashing into you. Yeah, I love it when it surprises me like that. Glad it gave you a lift, too! We can all use one now and then. Oh, I don't know about my par – I hate golf. Hmm… didn't mean golf? Okay…ah…you don't have to grumble, it's all right, really…please? starts to cry Hey, thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed!_

_**LADY VENOM2** – Yeah, after tossing Raph, I think she was owed. Can't make her too good, now can I? Heated discussions between two very stubborn and determined individuals? How can you even come to that conclusion? I sure hope so! LOL I've tried to bridge this story with several others I've written or had the pleasure of enhancing. I love continuity – a lot! Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed!_

_**BUSLADY OF SOCAL** – Thank you SOOOOO much for that wonderful drawing of Raph saluting! Did ya see it on my ff.net page? Too cool!!! I added that salute last minute and I think it fit the situation perfectly! Hey, thanks for reading and reviewing! Be blessed._

_**RAMICA** – Nope, Shari doesn't like being bested, infiltrated, one-upped, or anything that makes her look inept. The fact that Raph and Don out-did her twice piqued her irritability. This latest chapter hints at what she's capable of when push comes to shove. It's only the tip of the ol' iceberg! Thanks for reading and reviewing! Be blessed!_

_**VESTQUEX** – Well, we're gonna have to take that coffee machine away from you and that coffeegrinder. I think you've been just eating the beans so I guess we have to take them away from you, too! Glad you like this story! You're on TV??? Hmm… Hookay…Well, again, thanks for reading and reviewing and try not to jump out anymore windows, 'kay? Be blessed._

_**DANCINGFAE** – Yeah, Shari has a few tricks up her sleeve that neither Don or Raph know about. Of course, it goes both ways. Replacing the broken CD was a typical Don act, but getting it to her was strictly a Raph act, as demonstrated in Yosutebito Daughter! As far as keeping it interesting, that is why is has taken me so long to update! I've been suffering from writers block. Now, if I can just tear down the wall to Waking to a Nightmare, I'd be happy!!! Again, thanks for reading and reviewing! Be blessed._

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_**PRETENDER FANATIC** – Slow chapters bug me, but their often necessary. Without them, the more active ones wouldn't be as much fun! I'm hoping, given Shari's job description, to get some shell-kicking action going pretty soon. Can't say when since I haven't a clue where this is going. Imagine that. Hmm… Yes, understand about lost reviews. Been there, done that! Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing! Be blessed._


	4. Parlay

_Disclaimer:  Broke, no money, poor, chapter 7 (financial terms), can't even afford lint.  So, don't sue me, 'kay?  I don't own the TMNT's and can't make a plug nickel on 'em.  Thanks goes to Eastman and Laird for graciously allowing all of us to 'borrow' their guys!  _

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CHAPTER 4 – Parlay!

Shari took another sip of brandy from her glass – Raph's glass – and smiled at the two rather befuddled turtles.  Relaxed and at ease as she reclined in the armchair, she expressed a cool confidence that almost bordered on arrogance.  Shari knew beyond a shadow of doubt that she had one-upped Don in the worse possible way and, best of all, Raph as well.  She wondered what they would do considering she had literally compromised the estate's sophisticated security measures.  Still, the woman counted on her surprise method of arrival to keep her hosts off balance.  To maximize that endeavor, she specifically chose what she wore to enhance her appeal. 

She was dressed in a pair of trim black slacks that tapered around the tops of her feet, of which were neatly housed in a pair of black three-inch stilettos heels.  Her blouse was a long snug-sleeved pull over of shimmering silk material in deep turquoise blue.  Accented with a scooping neckline that draped in gentle folds, it stopped just before her cleavage.  The blouse wasn't tight but it was form fitting enough to show off her modest bust line. 

Then, hanging daintily around her neck, was a simple diamond pendant necklace with matching diamond post earrings for her ears.  A tennis bracelet, similarly adorned, wrapped lightly around her left wrist while her right showed a Rolex watch.  Shari's honey colored hair fell loosely around her shoulders in gentle waves with her face framed by shorter wisps that added allure to her already striking appearance.  In direct contrast to what she wore hours earlier, Shari sported a light application of makeup, her sharp blue eyes the dominate feature. 

To Don, she was a very striking woman.  To Raph, she appeared as a viper ready to strike.  He didn't appreciate her method of arrival one bit.

Don recovered first, however, entreating with a strained smile, "Shari Brentwood, you are most certainly a very intriguing woman!"  He relaxed his stance just a little as he allowed his peripheral vision to casually survey the room.

"Really?" she replied easily with a breathy voice, "I have been called much worse, you know!" She leaned forward in the chair to place the now empty glass on the coffee table next to the brandy snifter.  "Good brandy, by the way.  Hmm…St Agnes, 1963?"

Don's eyes lit up, followed closely by a wider smile, "Why, yes, it is, but how did you know?"

"My father was a self-taught wine and spirits connoisseur." She replied easily. "I learned from him!"

"Self taught?"

"Yes, he was an alcoholic!" Shari neither smiled nor detracted from her statement, but remained at ease despite sensing the other turtle's rising ire.  She looked over at Raph and met his gaze head-on and unblinking.  She kept it steady and sure, not flinching an inch but offering a gentle challenge to him. "I am _not_ one, however.  I do learn about _some_ things very quickly!"

Raph did not like this woman one bit. With her gaze steeled upon him, his dislike grew even more.  He met her challenge with equal fortitude but as he shifted his feet ever so slightly, she smiled at him and then looked back towards Don.  The very fact that Raph adjusted his position was proof to her that she had made her point.  His subtle move was a sign that she had successfully made him uncomfortable with her presence.  So far, Shari was batting a thousand this evening. 

Raph growled under his breath.

"So, I assume that you were the one to trip my alarms?" Don finally asked, his smile fading to a tight line.

"Alarms?  Didn't know you had any in place.  I thought I was expected?" she inquired teasingly.

"Yes, you were…" Don said calmly, "…but if you had anything to do with the Pentagon, you would know that I would employ sensors for my private residence." He countered and then moved over to the couch to retrieve his snifter.  He casually walked around the coffee table to the far wall behind where Shari sat, where his carafe of brandy awaited him on top the liquor cabinet. He poured himself another half glass of the cordial.  Leaning against the piece of furniture while sipping his drink, he assessed the woman who had stolen her way into his home.  If she were just a secretary who knew martial arts, then he had nothing to worry.  However, his gut instinct told him otherwise.  This Shari Brentwood was more than what she seemed to be.  Only a trained professional who was steep with knowledge of security methods would think of trying to compromise his systems.  The fact that his were unique to anything the government had bought from him would make it even that much harder to do.  He moved on over to the couch again, giving Raph a look that told him to back off. 

Raph shot his brother an equally stern expression for him to be on his guard.  A subtle nod from his brother told him he was already there.

As he eased down onto the couch and reclined against its back, he looked hard at the woman. "So, Shari, maybe you can tell me how you managed it!" Don asked evenly. He took in another portion of his drink but refrained from savoring it as he did earlier, all the while keeping his eyes and senses on the woman who sat opposite from him.  Despite his agitation, he was quite impressed that she had so deftly defied his system.

Raph took the armchair next to Shari and positioned himself so he nearly faced her.  "I hope you enjoyed drinking from my glass!" he snapped at her, interrupting his brother's query.

Smiling at him she replied, "Quite!  Brandy tastes just as good straight up as it does reclined.  Either way is fine with me." 

"I take it you don't mind my spit, then?" Raph inquired.

"Unless you're a venomous species of turtle, I've experienced worse." She replied tersely.

"There aren't any venomous turtles!" Raph sniggered almost arrogantly. "At least, not your garden variety type!"  He glowered at her menacingly.

"I have nothing to worry about, then, now do I?" The woman stated, lifting her head just a little.  Shari took in Raph's baleful glare, smiled, and then turned her attention back to the one sitting across from her on the couch.

"You haven't answered my question, Shari.  How did you manage to get pass my sensors?" Don reiterated, becoming more irked as he thought about it.

Briefly looking away shyly, "Oh, that…." And then returned her confident gaze to Don, "well….working for the Pentagon certainly did have its perks." She chortled. "But, unfortunately, that information is classified and even though I am retired I am not at liberty to say!"  She leaned further back in the chair and crossed her legs, her hands neatly folded in her lap.

"You have to be kidding?" Raph spat out as he leaned towards her. He shook his head in near disbelief at her impertinence, "You've infiltrated Don's estate, a private residence, which – if we chose to– could result in getting the authorities involved!"

"Authorities?  Oh…you mean the police?" Shari commented and then reasoned, looking at both turtles, "Really, gentlemen, do you even think for one moment that they would believe you.  I mean, look at me?" She motioned with her hands to indicate herself, "I'm wearing heels and dress slacks.  To them I'm but a demure woman!  I've even tasted your brandy and from your own glass at that!" Shari looked coyly at Raph, "Even if they did believe you, the forensics department will see both our prints on the same glass and conclude that I was here by invitation.  Maybe we even shared the same glass of brandy!"  She batted her eyes at her antagonist.

Raph scowled distastefully, which only heightened Shari's immediate enjoyment of the situation. With an air of confidence, "How can you even _possibly_ prove that I compromised your measures?" She then looked back at Don, "And your cameras are already recording our pleasant interaction, which will solidify my position that I was invited in the first place – which…is the truth!"  She saw a slight indication of surprise on Don's face, "Oh, I already discovered the camera trigger when I poured myself that glass of brandy earlier.  Nice touch, by the way, having it embedded into the cabinet molding!"  

Don sighed, shaking his head and then nodded, resigned for the moment, "You're right, of course.  However, I do have cameras at my front gate!"

"Who said I entered through the front gate,?" Shari casually said.  "For your information, I came in from the north end of your property.  You really do need to install more cameras, though, Mr. Tello – especially there!  It is a weak area in your defenses." Her smile softened just a little and then she launched into a change in topics. Her face was stern in contrast and her voice hard and piercing as she emphasized each word, "I take GREAT offense to anyone infiltrating MY home as well.  Consider THIS little exercise a TASTE of how I felt only a few hours ago!"  She then reached behind her, which triggered an immediate reaction from Raph. 

He had been seething silently yet was itching to put this impudent woman in her place.  The moment he saw her reach behind her back, he reacted.  Not knowing if she had a gun or a poisoned shuriken, he shot up from his chair towards her, faster than she had anticipated.  Her surprise only lasted for a split second, though.  Immediately, Shari quickly swiveled her legs up and around, her stiletto heels aimed for Raph's plastron.  It was a defensive measure on her part since she didn't have any prior intentions of becoming combative.  However, the lunging turtle didn't know that, leaving her with only one option – self-preservation.

Raph quickly saw her reaction, however.  Before he impaled himself on the sharp ends of her high-heels, the turtle swiftly shoved her legs further around until she was literally facing the back of the chair with her head hanging in mid air over the edge of the seat.  With her shoes now safely out of harms way, Raph grabbed her right shoulder next and swiftly flipped her up and out of her seat, throwing her across the room.  He landed where she had been just a second ago, hitting the cushion so hard that he heard it crunch.  The furniture's integrity held, however, yet the entire scenario took less than two seconds to complete. 

As she launched into the air, Shari found herself heading for a curio cabinet.  Not wanting to add destruction to injury, she expertly shot her hands out and grabbed the floor to deflect her momentum away from the delicate piece of furniture.  Flipping and then landing on her feet just inches away from the cabinet, she swiftly righted herself, only to face the now quickly advancing Raph. 

"STOP!" she yelled, "I'M UNARMED!"  Shari backed away from the turtle, her hands up and completely aware of his predatory posturing. "Did you HEAR me? I don't HAVE any weapons!" Shari crouched just a little, prepared to do battle if it came down to it, but not wanting to just the same.

"Then what in hell were you reaching for?" Raph demanded as he halted his advance on her.  He stopped only a few inches from the woman and then straightened up, yet not relaxing quite yet.

"Why don't you have your brother take a look in the chair!" she seethed, clearly not at all pleased with the one glaring at her.

"Ah, Raph?" came Don's voice, "I – ah – think Shari is telling the truth."

Raph turned around and, much to his chagrin, saw Don holding the very same CD player that Don had him deliver hours earlier to Shari's apartment.   However, like its predecessor before, it was smashed into several pieces as well, no longer a viable implement for music – all thanks to Raph's hard carapace.   As Don checked the damaged goods, he looked over at the two from across the room.  They were now more relaxed and less combative, yet still a little on edge with each other.  They were both watching him, now.

Holding up a perfectly intact CD, Don exclaimed with a weak smile, "At least this time … Mozart didn't break!"

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"So, you're telling me that you're unable to say how you broke in?" Don asked before taking another bite of his meal.

"Correct.  It's a top secret government file." Shari replied. "Since you never supplied any schematics, we had to discern how to disarm your devices on our own." She moved her plate away from her, full to satisfaction, "It was a prudent decision on General Talon's part.  His main reason for assigning me that job was to protect our field operators while they were 'involved' with hostile forces."  She took a sip from her water glass and added, "If any of them happened to have any of your sensors, our men needed to know how to compromise them.  Trust me; the only other person who knows what I know is my replacement at the Pentagon." She paused and then commented, "He has the same level six clearance as I did."

"That means that not even the President of the United States is in the know!" Don breathed out in surprise.

"Exactly."  Shari sat back in her chair and sighed.  It was her plan to infiltrate Don's home if only to give him a taste of his own medicine.  Yet she knew well ahead of time that by doing so she would risk exposing herself to what her true roll at the Pentagon really was.  Although she sensed that Don was as patriotic as any other red-blooded American was, Shari would never betray the trust awarded her by the government.  She would be Shari Brentwood until such a time she could be otherwise.  Even in retirement her disguise had to be maintained.

Raph had listened intently to the discourse between his brother and the woman.  He was still not sure about Shari, yet he had to be impressed with her quick recovery earlier when he attempted to throw her.  As a lull in the conversation took root for a moment, he asked, "Ah, so how does it benefit your field operators if you're the only one who knows how to disarm Don's security measures?"

Shari looked over at the turtle and replied casually, "Communication via their headsets.  I walk them through it.  I don't tell them by what measure I know, I just tell them which wires to cut.  Since each unit has a separate serial number printed on the wires, I can match it to what I know about the unit, then I can determine which way to go to disarm them." 

That was mostly true, of course, but it Shari was the one in the field doing the wire cutting.    

"So, you were more than just a secretary?" Don asked triumphantly, a smug smile on his face.  He just knew deep down there was more to her than that.

"I was his secretary, yes, but I had a high aptitude for security disarmament." She replied simply.

Don wasn't completely satisfied with her response.  The very fact that she could infiltrate _his_ estate as easily as she had done said more about her than her own reply.  He made a mental note to contact General Talon himself and get to the bottom of who this Shari Brentwood truly was.

"So, what about this martial arts thing." Raph asked, "Where'd you use that?"

"Just a while ago, in case you've forgotten!" Shari smiled a little, enjoying her little joke.  Raph didn't smile back. "Well, it's good to know how to protect one self.  Since I worked with people who did, I took it upon my self to learn.  It came in handy whenever an over eager suitor become too frisky, too!" she chuckled.

Don laughed a little as he finished his last bite of his meal.  He leaned back in his chair and chewed thoughtfully, assessing Shari once more.  They had chatted about a variety of topics over the past hour during dinner.  He had come to admire this woman, although he was still bothered a great deal that she had managed to circumvent his sensors. 

After swallowing his bite, he said, "The reason why I invited you to dinner was two fold.  One, I wanted to get to know you a little better, since you did work for the government and I did supply them with a host of inventions of mine.  When I remembered you worked with General Talon and then watching you in the Pentagon gym, it piqued my curiosity about you.  Considering my roll in government, I have to be fully aware of the people around me, even in the very city where I live.  Second, I would like to offer you a job!" 

"A job?" Shari asked, "Such as?"  She was the one surprised, now.  It was obvious that Raph had mentioned their little conversation from that morning to Don.  _"I really need to keep ALL information about me under wraps!"_ She chaffed to herself.

"Working for my brother in California." Don replied calmly.

"Doing what?" By the expression on Raph's face, Shari had the distinct impression that the 'job' was not what she was going to expect it to be. 

"Well, first, let me tell you how much I'll be paying you.  How does one hundred fifty thousand dollars sound?"  Don asked his eyes bright with anticipation.

"Depends.  If it calls for me to violate my patriotism, you can shove it up your – _tail_!" Her expression became icy cold as she stared at the one sitting across from her.  She took a casual sip of her water as if this entire situation was status quo.

"No, it won't, but it will probably be the most challenging work you'll ever do!" Don promised.

"I doubt that." Shari chuckled and then said, "Still, before I would even accept such an offer I would want to know the details and investigate your brother a little bit.  I assume he was part of the little family group I saw earlier in the day?"

"Yes as was his wife and children." Don smiled.  He enjoyed having Mike's family visit him, but the kids were a handful, especially one in particular.

"I see…I remember one that seemed unique from the rest and then a couple smaller versions; I assume those were Mike's wife and children?" Shari asked, remembering the odd differences she noted at the time.  She distinctly remembered the three having tails!  That was what caused her to do the double take, which resulted in Raph's initial confrontation with her.

"Ah, yes that's correct.  So, will you consider it?" Don asked hopefully.

"You haven't told me what the job is.  How can I even consider the job if you won't tell me what I'll be doing?"   She was starting to tire of the 'game' Don was playing with her.

"Well, tell you what, you fly out to California with me and meet Mike and his family, get to know them a little bit, and then I'll tell you." Don was not going to tell this woman anything about the job, not until she and Rahab had a chance to meet.  Let her become accustomed to everyone out there and then, from that, see where it goes.  He had to admit that even he would not want to jump into such a job sight unseen!  If this woman was able to toss his brother like she had earlier and rebound from his attack in the living room as well as she did, then Shari Brentwood would be the perfect Nanny for Rahab and Mike's brood in California.  She might be over qualified for the job, but he'd rather have that than have someone completely overwhelmed by the chaos that often permeated the clan.  Don definitely wanted someone helping Rahab that was worthy of their unique lifestyle. 

"I'll tell _you_ what, okay?" Shari countered, "I'll fly out with you and then inspect this job, but your proposal remains open to whatever augmentation that I see fit!  If you like MY version, then maybe we can work out a deal."

Raph nearly barked a gut-wrenching howl as Shari turned the tables on his brother.  He held himself in check, though.  In that moment, he could tell that Don knew had been played. 

Chewing his lip as he considered the woman's ability to coerce him for more money, Don stroked his chin thoughtfully.  Then, he rose from his chair and walked over to the other end of the dining room table, stretching out his hand to her, "Deal!"

Shari hesitated for a moment, wondering if Don was getting her into something she would later regret.  Still, he seemed willing to abide by whatever changes she deemed fit to make.  At the very least, if she didn't like the job she could insist on some outrageous fee to discourage his offer completely.  Confident that she had an open-ended agreement, she accepted his gesture and grabbed his outstretched hand, "Deal!"

Raph pressed his lips together to keep from laughing out loud.  He knew only too well what Don had in store for Shari.  It was definitely going to be something to see and there wasn't any way this side of heaven that he would miss witnessing it, either! 

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_DANCINGFAE: So glad you liked that chapter!  I decided to try something a little different and I guess it worked!  It sort of just fell into place like that, too.  Funny how things turn out, eh?  Yes, as you have probably found out with this current chapter, they do indeed 'butt' heads…sort of.  :0)  It can only get better from there, though.  Hey, thanks for reading and reviewing.  Be blessed!_

_PHOENIX-RISING: Well, Shari worked for Special Forces (and other avenues of clandestine defense departments). It was part of her job description to be able to circumvent security measures and infiltrate enemy territory.  Not someone you want to tick off, you can be sure!  She allowed the alarm to go off to get them out of the house, too!  Smart girl.  Thanks for reading and reviewing.  Be blessed!_

_PRETENDER FANATIC: Hey, thanks!!  I had fun writing that chapter, but I have to say that I had to literally push my way through.  Writers block is seeming to dog me lately and I have to deliberately confront it with each sentence.  It was tough to do but after a while it started to flow.  Raph's glass wasn't suppose to mean anything – until I had the idea of having Shari use it for her own drink!  Thanks for noticing.  Ah, Don's brandy…yes, I REALLY had fun with that one…LOL!  Thanks for reading and reviewing.  Be blessed!_

_LADY VENOM2: I like tying stories together…sort of like a soap opera.  Not that I watch them unless you consider Alias, Enterprise, Without A Trace, and CSI soaps.  I'm hoping to get a little more Alias with this story; happens to be my favorite show on the telly right now!  As far as bringing that 'female ninja' into the story, remember Yosutebito Daughter?  Can't say any more than that.  Ah, I'm hoping that Shari will indeed become a thorn in Raph's side!  Thanks for reading and reviewing.  Be blessed!_

_BUSLADY OF SOCAL:  An irate and PO'ed Raphers?  The best kind in my opinion…especially when his antagonist is female!  HA!  Sort of frustrates him where he was trained to be protective and respectful of the 'weaker' sex. Yeah, but does that apply to Shari?  Only the next few chapters will tell!  Thanks for reading and reviewing.  Be blessed!_

_RAMICA: Yeah, Raph is still not sure of Shari.  I did have fun with Don and his brandy, though!  I don't write 'those kind of things' yet I've seen people who sip brandy the way I depicted Don doing it!  I couldn't resist!  :0)  I think Rahab will be at her wits end.  Lots of other things going on.  This is set after the story, Rahab, but before Gaele and Seth.  That wonderful netherworld where anything can happen and it won't tweak the other stories – too much.  LOL   As far as what Shari will think of 'babysitting', it's more than that, me thinks!  Thanks for reading and reviewing.  Be blessed!_

_VESTQUEX: You really need to lay of eating coffee beans, you know that?  You're way too hyper – and I love it!  LOL   Anyway, again, I enjoyed writing the brandy scene.  Too much so, maybe, because I keep re-reading it!  These chapters just happen for me and I'm constantly amazed and grateful when they turn out as they do.  I credit all the wonderful writers and their stories on ff.net that I've had the pleasure of reading.  All of you have influenced me in one way or another – and all for the good, too!  I also love to connect my fics, as well – as you've probably noticed.  As for Mexico and Australia…you need to show me how you do that one!  Seriously, that eighteen hour flight to Aussie-land would be nixed pronto (hee hee) if you can transport that easily from one continent to another. LOL  Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing.  Be blessed!_


	5. A Matter of Truth

**_DISCLAIMER_**_: Yep, only own Shari Brentwood. Other than that, everything else is borrowed. Don't be shy, though, please read and review! Or, e-mail me your comments if reviewing on-line is too overwhelming for ya! I like knowing where I can improve…it's the only way I can, don'cha' know! LOL Oh, and my thanks to VestqueX for catching a word that didn't quite flow well enough! 'Peripherally' was her recommendation - and I took it to heart. This prompted a re-posting with that correction. See! It helps to get feed-back! _

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CHAPTER 5 – The Truth of the Matter

She was used to flying private, but Don's 737 jetliner impressed Shari quite a bit. How anyone could afford such luxury spoke volumes about his obvious wealth. She knew he was quite successful with his inventions and all. Yet, just the same, to have at ones disposal such transportation was above the norm for tycoons in general.

So, as she sat in her seat while in route to the west coast, she thought about the 'job' in California and about her fellow passengers. How did the job involve Mike's family? What was it about her that gave Don the idea she could be of some assistance to them? Maybe Mike needed a secretary and since that was the capacity in which Don had seen her, Shari was certain her assumption was true. Then, her thoughts changed over to the pair of turtles that were onboard with her.

Observing how alike they were in physique and Raph's ability to throw her so effectively, Shari sensed that the two turtles were both adept in martial arts. Just watching how smooth Don walked and moved around said as much to her. She sensed he had strength and agility, as well as timing. This seemed rather like a contradiction in terms, however, all things considered.

_"Who would have thought turtles could move so fast!"_ she commented to herself, quite amused by the comparison. _"Then again, who would have thought that any could walk upright, talk, and then be intelligent, too?"_ She could only shake her head in wonder.

When the news had broken years earlier about their discovery and then their intelligence proven, Shari had reacted as everyone else did – in complete disbelief. Yet, time showed them to be quite authentic and with her work in the Pentagon, she had come to appreciate at least one of them – Don Tello.

Now, to find out that one of them was skilled in self-defense added one more quirky bit of fact to their strange résumé. It gave her a subtle undercurrent of concern, though. Why would they need to know any martial arts? Given the skill by which Raph demonstrated in tossing her, how good were they? Shari was very intrigued, that was certain.

Raph had positioned himself across the way from her and just behind where she sat in the jet. She recognized his posturing as one who was suspicious and wanting to be in an advantageous position in case something went down. Considering his swift response to her alleged possession of weaponry at Don's the other night, she was sure Raph wasn't taking any chances.

_"Once on high alert, always on high alert." _She mused her favorite saying.

Still, she found the gruff turtle just a tad annoying the way he would watch her, whether straight away or peripherally. Occasionally she would get the feeling that he was quite amused with the fact that Don wanted to hire her.

_"Obviously knows something about it!"_ she thought to herself, which only made her more curious about the job. _"What could possibly be so amusing about that position?" _she asked silently. _"Guess I'll find out soon enough."_

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Their five-hour flight was uneventful, landing them at San Jose Airport just before dusk. The slowly setting sun cast large shadows behind the private hangar where Don's plane taxied. Once the aircraft was stationary and the wheel blocks set in place behind the tires, the ground crew pushed a passenger bridge over to the main exit of the jet.

Shari watched as the people outside scurried about, unloading the undercarriage of the plane of her luggage as well as Don's and Raph's. She noticed that her two cases had survived the flight quite well. She had decided to pack more than just a weekend assortment of clothes. In the event that she accepted the job Don wanted her to do, Shari didn't want to be stuck wearing the same thing every day. Gone were her days of minimalism. She was enjoying filling her closet with clothes that befitted her gender, something she had denied herself while in active duty. Back then, she kept a mental attitude of discipline and always running light. Being girly around a bunch of foul-mouthed meatheads wouldn't have gone over very well. Consequently, she had to butch up her own persona, much to the dismay of her inner lady-hood. It had been a running joke, in fact, with her team. They claimed her to be more man than any of them the way she worked and operated.

"Glad those days are over with!" she sighed, straightening the light pink blouse before rising out of her seat.

Don led the way out of the plane with Shari in between him and Raph. Instead of stair steps, they walked out onto the passenger bridge that connected the jet to the private terminal. Shari thought that maybe they would be heading out the front of the airport. Instead, they walked towards an opened side door, manned by a suited and dapperly dressed attendant. He smiled at Don, then at Shari and Raph, nodding politely towards them. Don nodded back in acknowledgement and proceeded through the doorway.

A flight of stairs that lead down to the main level greeted them. Following her host's lead, Shari descended the steps, taking note that his and Raph's footfall were soundless as they went. She hadn't really noticed it before, but upon reflection, that fact was true almost from the beginning of when she first met them. Now, she strained her ears, unbelieving that they could be so quiet, bare feet and all. Yet, even with her sharp hearing, Shari couldn't discern the slightest sound. She found that truly odd. She was wearing loafers that were soft against the stairs, yet they made more noise than the two turtles in her company did. Don and Raph's obvious bulk suggested they would at least make the stairs creak, but even that didn't seem to run true. That they were in an echo friendly stairwell would make one almost expect some noise at least. Still, not even that proved out. It was one more weird fact about them to file away. How she would use it was anyone's guess, but it did pique her interest in the two of them considerably.

_"One would think they were ninja!"_ she laughed to herself. _"Yeah, right!"_ She almost chuckled aloud, but suppressed it lest they ask what was so funny._ "Don't want to offend them - at least not yet!"_

Finally, Don opened the doorway to the outside and that was when Shari noticed the limo parked not too far from the aircraft. It wasn't the usual stretch variety, but a Lincoln Towncar sedan, shiny black with deeply tinted windows and most likely brand new by the overall design. The driver stood at the ready, alert and keen to their arrival. As they approached, he snapped the rear passenger door open to allow Shari to take a seat inside the car. Once she was in, he closed her door and hurried around to the other side where he did likewise for Don. Raph helped himself to the front passenger seat while the driver then slipped in behind the wheel opposite from him. Soon he had the car in gear and drove it smoothly away from the jet while the latter was presently taxied into its private hangar.

"So, where does your brother live?" Shari asked while the driver accelerated the car out of the airport and onto the main highway.

Don replied from his seat and turned to face her "Carmel area around Big Sur. It's about two miles in from Highway One at the end of a private road. They've only been in the house for about two years."

"Still won't tell me the job description, eh?" she asked. It was a bit unorthodox for her to accept any possible assignment like this without prior knowledge about what it was. Especially with one she didn't know personally. Yet, Shari was certain that Don was above reproach; anything funny going on would certainly ruin his reputation. Considering what she knew of him, he was more than trustworthy, he was honorable. That alone was the main reason why she accepted his invitation. Based on what General Tallen had told her the other evening when she called him, anything that Don would hire her for would be a dream job.

"Nope!" Don replied with a tight smile. He watched her closely, sensing a bit of irritation from her as well as intrigue and amusement. He could discern that she was one who liked an adventure but would just as easily stop any shenanigans if Shari felt she was being played. He mulled over the information General Tallen shared with him the night before, wondering just how straight his friend was with what he shared about this woman. Don's own intrigue regarding her had shot through the roof then, but he kept it all to himself, not even sharing what he learned with his own brother. Yes, Shari would be a valuable asset to Mike's home, but even more importantly – given the current state of affairs with his family – an asset to the situation in Japan as well.

Shari slowly shook her head at him, smiling ruefully and turned back to watch the scenery flash by as the car made its way towards it's intended destination.

Raph sat in front next to the driver, quiet and staring straight ahead. Shari noticed that he had said very little to her while in route and was just as reticent now as he had been before. He was quite the mystery that was certain. She knew just by example that Raph was Don's muscle man, his protector, at least by what he demonstrated back in Croton. She had been impressed at the time with his swift reaction, too, although she had to admit to not expecting such a move from him. It was something she took note of and filed away for her personal use.

The valet and driver was Asian, probably Japanese by what she could tell. Earlier, when he had greeted them at the limo, she saw how crisp his movements were. When he had opened the rear passenger door to her, he gave Shari a slight bow of his head in acknowledgement. She had automatically returned the gesture, her years of working international deeply engrained. Once she was seated and her door closed, he went swiftly around the car to the opposite side to assist Don in as well. The driver was soon in his own seat in no time flat. As she recalled that event, Shari wondered if he, too, was well versed in martial arts. The man had moved quite fast, faster than most valets would, in fact. He had the grace and the fluidity of one so trained, her own finesse with the craft allowing her to discern such attributes in others. It had given her an advantage whenever going hand to hand with an adversary, cuing in on her opponent's skills as they moved. At the very least, it kept her alive.

She watched the driver as he guided the car down along the freeway. He kept his eyes straight ahead, not allowing them to wander to the rearview mirror. He was all business - that much Shari did notice.

They rode silently along as they sped down the road. Since it was Sunday, there was very little traffic to contend with and, considering the hour, they were making good time. After a while, they took a transition road that soon had them heading south. Before too long, Shari noted a smaller town. It was quaint with novelty stores off to the right that were all lit up for evening shoppers. It was now nearing eight in the evening. Then, no more than thirty minutes passed the southern end of the village, the car turned left onto a private road, meandering through a thick grove of tall trees that Shari determined to be redwoods. She marveled at the wondrous conifers, but with the cloak of night shrouding their tops, she found it impossible to discern their true height.

As the car drove along, the side of the road seemed to open up just a bit. As the sky became more discernable, she took note of the thick spread of stars against the black backdrop, allowing her to see just a hint of the treetops. They were monstrous! The openness suggested a meadow that seemed to spread out quite a ways to her right. There were several tiny pairs of reflections not far from the where the vehicle moved along. Some of them turned away while others stood watch. Deer, that's what Shari realized they were. Soon, even the sentries decided on moving along, leaving the area almost immediately. A dash of white here and there and some quick shadowy movement against the darker trees confirmed her suspicions.

Not long after, artificial lighting added illumination to the blackened roadway. Lampposts stood tall alongside, leading them to a well-lit house of huge proportions.

"Good grief, it must be close to six-thousand square feet!" she breathed, impressed and awed at the structure looming ever closer at the car's approach.

"More like eight." Don corrected her evenly. "Mike wanted ten-thousand, but Rahab worked him down."

Shari was quite impressed, wondering more now than before what exactly her job would be. However, she soon observed that Raph was starting to squirm a little. From her vantage point, it almost seemed as if he was just a mite uncomfortable.

"Don't like it here, Raph?" she teased. Yes, she was sure he didn't like being here, just his posturing alone told her that much. He gently shook his head and looked out the side window.

"S'okay." He replied simply.

"Just s'okay? Good grief, this place is beau…." She started, but then Don nudged her to get her attention.

"Ex-wife!" he whispered.

Shari's eyes shot up a bit, biting her tongue reticently and then nodded in understanding. She turned back to face the front and smiled just a little. _"Poor Raphy, has to meet the ex…such a baby!"_ she chortled to herself. Her natural sense of humor kicked in about then, a plan starting to form in her head. Then, she wondered if it would jeopardize her job opportunity. Deciding she could care less one way or the other, Shari made up her mind to do it. She could hardly wait to meet the ex wife. At the very least, it would give her some payback with Raphael from when he tossed her in New York!

There was a porte cochere between the garage and the house, allowing the sedan to pass through. The driver stopped the vehicle just inside of it where the occupants could disembark. Much to Shari's disappointment, however, once they were out of the car Raph made a beeline for the back of the property.

_"Hey, what's the matta, Raph – don't get along with the ex?"_ Shari thought to herself. She was a bit miffed at not being able to goad him, but she knew there'd be plenty of opportunities to make up for it.

Don sensed a bit of amusement coming from the woman and, figuring she was probably nursing a bit of a grudge against his brother, commented, "Do yourself a favor, Ms. Brentwood, keep out of Raphael's 'personal file', okay? He doesn't take kindly to anyone messing with him – especially regarding Rahab." With that, Don nodded to his driver who slipped around to the rear of the sedan to start unloading the suitcases.

Shari took the rebuke easily enough and the warning that went with it. Still, it would have been a hoot just the same to sidle up seductively to Raph in front of his ex. Acting all coy and every bit the blonde bombshell she could portray when called upon, Shari had planned on being his 'girlfriend' just for that moment. Imagining the look of utter shock and dismay on the brute's face would have been well worth any reprimand Don could throw at her, too. Still, if this job did turn out to be the 'opportunity of a lifetime' that Pat Tallen suggested, she would have to mind her manners. Nevertheless, Shari couldn't help the smirk that accompanied her mental picture of the situation.

Don then led the way around the back of the property. Shari followed him and, as she did, she could see a cottage off to the right and back from the main house. It looked almost newer than the mansion. She also noticed that the lights were switching on so she figured that Raph was already inside. Still, she wondered about the warning Don had imparted to her. What could Raph do to her that she should make her wary? Regardless if he was skilled in martial arts, she was a minimum 8th degree black belt in four of the major disciplines, Kendo, Karate, Chin Na, and Hapkido. Chin Na was her favorite where very little effort could to subdue an adversary. Its principles were based on acupressure, which – when applied correctly – could render harmless any attacker within seconds.

Then again, as she thought about it, Raphael had proved to be very adept with speedy recoveries. Shari had been replaying his swift reaction to her stiletto heels from that evening earlier in the week. It still amazed her and, she had to admit to it, she was glad he had avoided such a painful experience. Certainly, her 'opportunity of a lifetime' would have been ruined right then and there.

Don led her towards the back of the larger home, where a patio greeted them. From where they walked, she noticed that the flagstone patio dropped down three shallow elevations before it leveled out towards the back of the property. It was a large area, big enough for a pool, but all she could see with the scant artificial lighting was a large grassed-in yard. A few young trees planted here and there added interest with a variety of freshly laid brush and flowers adorning the surrounding area. The sparse development of the property was proof that the house was indeed new, but progressing.

As Don opened the sliding door, another like him greeted them.

"Hey, bro, how's it hanging…hey! You must be Shari Brentwood!" Mike declared cheerily. 

Shari thought his remark rather redundant, who else would she be, but she remembered her manners, "Yes, that's correct…." However, she just couldn't resist, "And you must be Rahab!"

Don's head turned swiftly around towards her in shock, but Mike could only slap his thigh and bark out a laugh, "HA! Too much…say, Don, you didn't tell me this nanny had a sense of humor!" Yet, just as his words left his mouth, Mike knew he had tripped up. His eyes went slightly wide watching for Don's reaction.

Don shot his brother a look that could kill, while at the same time he heard Shari nearly yell out, "A NANNY?!"

Looking back at the now indignant woman, he noticed her seething expression. Her only comment to follow was, "NOW I understand why you refused to tell me what the job was ABOUT!"

If looks could surely kill, Don would have already been dead right then and there, of that he was sure!

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**_BUSLADY OF SOCAL_**_: Yeah, thought the spit thing was perfect for Raphy to say. His style, ya know?! :0) Well, it'll be more than watching rug-rats, you can be sure of that! Hey, you're a Raph-fanatic, so it's a given you'll be focused more on him than the others. I'd be shocked if you weren't! LOL Don's idea is more than wacko, it'll be to his advantage all the way around. It's still a Raphael story, though, yet it will be a tug-a-war between him and Don…that's all I'll say. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_RAMICA_**_: Yeah, Shari is quite the gal, isn't she? What a challenge she is to write, too. Yet, I'm having a blast letting my inner arrogance shine forth! LOL Ah, another CD is the least Shari will be getting from these guys, you can bet on it. Raph doesn't have a clue how badly this woman will end up irking him. I can't wait! You're right about the babysitting. Not sure how I'll use the Japan thing, though. Need to do some Internet researching between now and then, me thinks! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed and have a great trip south! :0)_

**_PHOENIX-RISING_**_: Ah, you might be surprised as to 'who is in for it' regarding Shari meeting the Clan! Bwahaha back to ya! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_VESTQUEX_**_: Well, 'backwash' just wouldn't have been Raph's style, now would it? Spit worked well enough and it did get the reaction from all of you that I had hoped for! Tee hee! Shari is more suave than I could ever hope to be, but, at least I can write it! LOL Raph's dislike is more like angst at being on-upped. Ah, what exactly to you imply with 'eyes narrow dangerously'? You live in NY, I'm in California – like, I should worry? LOL Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._


	6. Conflicts On All Fronts

**_DISCLAIMER: _**_Same ol' stuff.  I only own Shari Brentwood and the story.  All other characters are generously shared by Eastman and Laird as well as Wendy A Peabody.  Enjoy and be blessed._

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Chapter 6 – Conflicts on All Fronts.

Shari turned angrily on her heels, heading back towards the port cochere in a huff, "Son of a…." she seethed, cutting off the last bit of her tirade, lest there be children about. Okay, she wasn't so angry that she didn't appreciate tender ears.  However, she was enraged that Don or even General Tallen thought this job as if it were one of great opportunity.  She threw her hands up into the air out of frustration, mumbling a long line of words that would have made the most hard-core sailor blush.  Never had she ever been so insulted in her life.  "How could they even THINK I'd be…." her voice faded away as she disappeared around the bend in the house. 

Don hesitated for just a moment, not quite wanting to go after her.  Finally collecting his wits, he began to follow hurriedly along trying to catch up with Shari.  Mike followed him as well, unprepared for her reaction as much as Don had been.  The woman had a good head start on both of them, so it was no telling what she was going to do or where she would go.

"I'm sorry, Donnie boy, just sort of slipped out with everything going on here and all, don't know where my brain went, honest, bro, didn't mean to upset her that quickly, do ya think she'll take the job?" Mike's litany of apologies and inquiry all ran together, sounding desperate to the seething older brother.

"Just zip it, Mike, while I do damage control, okay!" Don grated as he glared back at his now repentant younger sibling.  He continued around the house to catch up with Shari.

"Ms. Brentwood, please listen to me, it's more than that, believe me!" He entreated pleadingly, looking around inside the porte cochere.  The valet had already dispatched the luggage to the apartment above the garage and over to the cottage, so he had already left the general vicinity. 

As Don came out the other side of the carport, wondering where she could have slipped off to, he nearly jumped as Shari suddenly appeared out of nowhere in front of him.

"WHAT IN HELL WERE YOU THINKING?" she yelled, leaning in towards Don, forcing him to back up just a bit. "I DIDN'T PUT IN TWENTY YEARS OF GOVERNMENT WORK JUST TO WIPE BUTTS!" Shari continued yelling and then pointed a finger at him accusingly, poking him into his plastron and continued with her tirade, "You LIED to me!  You duped me into thinking this was some important job!" she emphasized each word with a poke in his chest. 

Don backed away some more and rubbed his plastron, now sore from Shari's insistent prodding.  His expression grew somewhat dark but then his eyes widened just a bit as Shari advanced threateningly upon her adversary.  Don was obviously unprepared for her reaction and a bit intimidated for the moment by her aggressiveness.  Yet, recalling the conversation he had with Tallen the night before instantly came to his mind. 

Don replied quickly, standing his ground, "It is of great importance to my family that whomever we have caring for Rahab's children has to be trained.  Not the usual training, Ms. Brentwood." He looked at her evenly as he collected himself, "But one trained in the craft, or the arts." He said softly yet earnestly.  He looked quickly up towards the windows of the house that faced them, hoping that Rahab was in the master bedroom where their argument would not be heard.  The last thing Don wanted was one more irate female with which to contend. "There are - situations that make it necessary, I'm afraid."  He added for good measure as he brought his eyes back down to gaze evenly at hers.

Shari glared balefully at the turtle, still angry with him and most certainly not the least bit happy with the General either.  Both men, as it were, had implied a job that would be an 'opportunity of a lifetime'.  _"As if tending to someone else's brat was an opportunity?!"_ she seethed silently.  _"Who do they take me for?"_  She could only stand there and seethe for the moment.  Yet, Don's implication that the job was something more than just nanny work piqued her curiosity.

"Okay, so why don'cha s'plain this all important situation!" she demanded, setting herself hard against the sedan and crossing her arms.  Her 'work related speak' was starting to rise to the occasion, a sure sign to any one who knew her that they would have only one chance to get it right.  She eyed Don warily, taking in every aspect of his physical reactions.  Considering he didn't know her well enough, she warned him, "An' ya betta get it right, MR. TELLO, 'cuz I'll know ina second if yer lyin' ta'me!" 

Shari noticed that Mike had followed them but was keeping a safe distance away.  She glared at him equally as hard, even though she knew he was mostly innocent of the alleged setup.  He looked sincerely forlorn and quite uncomfortable, almost pale in color as he observed her irate behavior.  He looked upwards towards the second story windows, as well, as if afraid of something_.  _

_"Rahab?"_ she wondered curiously.  As she considered that thought and the fact that even Raph seemed genuinely uncomfortable being there, she came to one conclusion. _"Gotta meet this lady, that's all there is to it, but first thing's first!" _she mused silently, her angry gaze landing squarely back on Don once again.  She suddenly felt the cool ocean air as it brought a slight chill to the evening, bringing with it the scent of salt.  It had a calming affect on her, conjuring up a slew of memories of her experiences on the open sea.  Still, she would not waver in her position against the one standing before her now. 

Raph had heard the commotion and was now heading over to offer an assist.  There was a slight tweak to his mouth as if he were trying to contain a grin.  He knew just by the way Shari carried herself and with her attitude that this 'nanny' job, regardless of its true intent, would not go well with her.  He had wanted to be there when Don finally told her, which would have happened sometime the next day.  However, by the sound of things, it looked as if Mike beat him to the punch.  Good thing it was Don he tripped up and not himself, otherwise there _would_ have been punches for sure!  He chuckled at Don's predicament, though, but his biggest amusement was for Shari. 

As he came up to the port cochere, he saw Mike standing patio side of the opening. The younger turtle was nervously keeping watch over the distant sliding door as if anticipating something or someone coming out and then watching the ensuing confrontation by the sedan as well.

"Wuz'up, Mikey?" Raph asked light heartedly as he approached silently from behind.

His brother whirled around in surprise, not expecting Raph at all by the startled expression on his face.  He clutched his plastron, emitting an expulsion of air in a loud sigh, "Good grief, Raph, you nearly gave me heart attack!"

"Hey, looks like you're getting' soft in yer old age, Bro.  Need to keep up on that - ah - special hearing of yours!" Raphael chuckled.  As he eyed the other two at the far end of the carport, he nodded in that direction, asking Mike, "So, our lovely Ms. Brentwood's discovered her true calling, eh?" He laughed just a little.

Mike only shook his head. "Ah, geeze, Raph, she's a real hot head.  Dunno if this will go over well with Rahab and all." Mike said worriedly.  He wiped the top of his brow nervously, glumly saying, "I haven't told Rahab about this gal coming, either, I was afraid she'd skin me – this woman being human and all."  He sighed, "I know we need her, but do you think the problem is that bad?"

Raph shook his head, "Don and Leo think so, but we can't let Rahab know, okay?  It's bad enough she'll have a human in the house."  He laid a sympathizing hand on the back of Mike's carapace.  He knew that Rahab had put up with human help for years until she and Mike moved into the new house. Yet, for reasons that none of them understood, she had decided to keep the place up by herself.   She wanted nothing more to do with humans.  It could have been a variety of reasons, too.  Between the two attacks on the Croton and Mojave homes, the clan wars in Japan, and the cool reception she was receiving from the other parents at the kids' school, all afforded her the excuse to hide away.  Rahab had become sullen and moody, which Don believed was a delayed reaction from her experiences.  She had been that way years ago when they first encountered her, but Rahab found some measure of peace after Splinter's teachings.  However, the past few years saw a decline in that progress.  It was a real mystery to all of them without a doubt.

Raph continued to watch as the verbal exchange between Don and Shari wound down to a low roar.  The woman shook her head 'no' at one point and then his brother stepped up his bartering prowess.  Raph knew that, in the end, the woman would yield; Don always had his way.  It would have been a rare treat indeed to see him lose one, though. 

Just as expected, "Fine, Mr. Tello, you win.  I'll give it a week – but ONLY a week!  And, I expect full payment regardless!" Shari snapped out. 

"That's all I ask, Ms. Brentwood.  I think you'll understand once I talk with you further tomorrow." Don said as he bowed slightly.

Shari stood there leaning against the sedan, ever mindful of the others who remained distant and watching.  She glanced over to where Raph was standing and clearly saw the smirk on his face.  Scowling, she shot him a look that could have melted an ice glacier, receiving in kind only a bigger grin.  "Well, I hope you enjoyed the show, gentlemen!" she glowered, straightening up off of the car.  "So," she began, looking back at Don, "Where do I sleep t'night?"

"Upstairs," Don motioned with his hand towards the garage, "In the coach apartment.  It's quite comfortable."  He smiled wanly at Shari, hoping to put to rest any resentment she might still be harboring, but the woman was clearly not at all amused, even after her concession. 

"Alone, right?" she inquired briskly, noticing his driver coming around the back of the garage and over towards the sedan. 

"Thomas will be staying in the guest cottage with Raph tonight." Don explained.

"Hmm…how cozy!" she teased wickedly, winking over at Raphael suggestively. 

Thomas looked at her, puzzled and then clearly not amused by her suggestion.  He looked back at Raph who had taken the comment equally as well.  She heard a low growl, but Shari couldn't tell if it was verbal or the sound of an empty stomach.  Yet the look on Raph's face, however, told her it was probably verbal.  She smiled in his direction, obviously pleased by her score. 

"Well, I think considering the lateness of the evening and the kind of day we'll have tomorrow, retiring early would probably be wise." Don suggested.

Shari looked at her watch and noted that it was nearing nine o'clock.  Yep, she would usually hit the sack by ten, but considering the three-hour time difference from New York, it was midnight by her schedule.  She suppressed a yawn and concurred with the turtle, "Yes indeed.  I do have to admit, though…" she commented.

"And that is?" Don asked as he led the way for her and passed the anxious Mike and the mildly irritated Raphael.

"Considering how everyone has been watching the windows and doors, I'm quite interested in meeting this Rahab." She laughed, "She must be something to have all of you quaking the way you've been doing since we've arrived!"  Shari snickered and shot Raph a wide toothy grin, nodding in his direction, "Especially you, Mr. Tough-stuff!"

"Lucky for you, lady, there's witnesses!" Raph grounded out evilly.

"Or what?" Shari shot back. "You'd 'off' me?"  She chuckled.  "In your dreams, big boy!"  The woman grinned wide and then turned back around to continue following along with her escort.

Don allowed Shari to catch up with him as they made for the outside stairs that led up to the apartment.  As she sided up next to the turtle, he commented to her softly, "As I mentioned earlier, Ms. Brentwood, stay off of Raph's personal page and do not go making threats against him.  Raph is perfectly capable of following through with anything thrown his way!" 

Though he spoke non-threateningly, the strength behind each word implied otherwise.  Consequently, the sharp warning in Don's advice heightened Shari's suspicions about them even more.  She looked back to find that Raph had not taken his eyes off of her, but had narrowed them predatorily.  Mike was talking softly to him as if trying to calm a seething inferno.  He stayed just beyond the reach of Raph's arms, yet his voice was desperate as if any minute it would become a moot point.  

She turned back around, suddenly alert.  Shari's own warning system kicked into high gear, her wariness heightening considerably. _"Hmm…maybe I need to back off the galoot a bit.  Until I can get all of this figured out, that is."_ she mused silently to herself.  She had seen her fair share of intimidating people in her thirty-eight years, yet the way Raph's gaze seared her own was something new all together.  _"Yep, gonna give him a bit more room for a while!"_  Shari knew when to push, but she also knew when to pull back.

This was one of those times.

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The apartment wasn't huge, but it was a tad larger than the one she had in Croton.  Shari was quite impressed with it all the way around.  "So, this is reserved for nannies?" she asked.

Don turned towards her as he motioned her further into the room, replying, "No, Thomas usually stays here, but until we get you situated in the main house, it's yours.   I apologize for the masculine feel of the room, but it is only temporary."

Shari looked around and saw that the furniture was mostly leather with brass and glass coffee and end tables.  A few framed prints, all landscapes, adorned the walls, but not much else to add to the décor.  An efficiency kitchen with a small sink, refrigerator and stove ran along the side of the apartment that faced the back part of the property.  A window by the dinette table afforded a view.  The living area also had a window but faced the driveway that led in from the main road.  A door at the opposite side from the entrance indicated another room, most likely the bedroom and bath area.  She nodded, "This'll do quite nicely."

"Good!  Well, I'll only be staying for a few days as I have business to tend to over in Japan.  Raph and Thomas will be accompanying me as well." Don explained as he moved towards the front door to leave.

"So…that means I'll be on my own with Mike's wife?" Shari asked cautiously as she turned to follow him out.  Okay, so it was a hoot to watch the others squirm over what she assumed to be because of Rahab's wrath.  Yet, to leave her here by herself with the mutant female seemed a bit disconcerting to her.   

Don smiled as he opened the door, amused by the sudden shift in Shari's composure, "Don't worry, by the time we leave, Rahab will have accepted you."

"P'shaw, like I would worry about that!" she chortled arrogantly, yet it did appease her slight apprehension.  Shari had to be amused with her self, though.  All the sorties and assignments she had under her 'belt' that would make a 'Marine pale and yet the mere thought of going toe to toe with what she assumed to be a cantankerous female lizard caused her to quake just a little.  All of this was way beyond her broad comfort zone, but none more than the job assignment.  Again, she would give it a week per her agreement with Don from earlier, but it was a week she did not look forward to. 

"What in the world did I get myself into?" she mused to herself as she watched Don exit the apartment.

As Don closed the door and then descended the stairs, he looked back up at the domicile and shook his head, saying under his breath, "What in blazes have we gotten ourselves into?" 

He greeted his brothers at the bottom of the steps.   

"Ah, Don…" Mike asked, his eyes clearly showing concern.

"She'll be fine.  It's just – ah – somewhat of a surprise to her is all.  Once I explain to her the nature of her responsibilities, I think Shari will come around to our side." Don consoled.  "However, I found out last night that there's more to our Ms. Brentwood than meets the eye!" he smiled smugly.

"Well," Raph growled, "She better quit with the comments!  I've had enough of it in my lifetime!" he looked hard at Mike.  "So…how's the _wife_ doing?"

Mike smiled wanly, "Coping.  It's been tough with Riahna and now Devon."  He watched his brother wince just a little, "Would be good for you to see him, Raph."

"Yeah?" Raph shot an eye-ridge up, "...but would it be good for him?  You know what happened the last time!"

"Ah, Raph, he's just a kid; he doesn't understand why you're gone so much, is all." Mike replied.

"HA, tell him his mom's the reason why I don't come around!  I jus' won't let 'er go on against me the way she does.  Won't stand for it anymore!" Raph spat out.  "Just make sure she knows I don't hold anythin' against 'er, okay.  I take full blame for what happened in Japan.  Not her fault!" With that, Raph headed back over to the cottage in a huff while Don and Mike made for the main house. 

All three were just a little on edge with Shari's reaction as well as the resident adult female.  How the two would get along was probably their main concern at present.

"Don, if Shari adds fuel to the fire…" Mike worried.

"She won't.  She has good instincts and I think when she meets your family it'll set things into place." Don assured him.

"Are you sure, Don?" Mike asked in dire concern.

"I'm positive, Mike.  Have I ever been wrong?" Don cocked his head at his brother.

"Well, not recently, no, I guess not." Mike grumbled.

"Recently?  What'dya mean by that?" the other asked defensively.

"I'm only kidding, bro." Mike laughed a little, "You're very rarely ever wrong, s'that all right?" Mike teased.

"Hmm…guess that'll do, but I don't even think 'rarely' fits in there, as far as I'm concerned." Don huffed indignantly. 

The two then walked into the house.  However, they were completely unaware of the figure from the second story bedroom window that saw the entire scene that played out below her. 

She scowled dispassionately, sullen and moody and watched as the one heading for the cottage arrived at the smaller house and walked inside.  She continued to stare as if she could see right through the walls.  Her tail whipped angrily as she clenched and unclenched her claws, letting them click together out of nervous habit. 

Rahab had seen enough to know that Raphael was back – and she was livid!

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Japan event staged in Rahab, chapter 32.

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**_PHOENIX-RISING_**_: Yep, nothing is as angry as a woman scorned – or setup.  Raph has an unhappy history with Rahab, best found in her own story.  Very sad in my opinion, I want Raphers to be happy!  :0)  Ah, the kids…she does meet one of them, but in the next chapter!  Wonder who it'll be?  Hmm…. Okay, thanks for reading and reviewing.  Be blessed._

**_RAMICA_**_: Poor Mike; he's such a sweet guy but still goofy and way too hyper!  Don would like to put Mike in hot water, you can bet!  LOL  Ah, job descriptions can be quite vague, as you will soon find out with the next chapter.  Yeah, I toyed with that a little bit, thinking of actually having it happen.  But, something told me not to.  So, I went with 'spoiled plans' instead.  Ah, trust me, Shari will have ample opportunities to dig at Raph in up and coming chapters.  This is, after all, been touted as a Raphael story!  :0)  Thanks for reading and reviewing.  Be blessed._

**_BUSLADY OF SOCAL_**_: Yeah, I'm sure Shari wasn't laughing, though!  Hope you read Rahab already because a lot of their 'history' is setting the stage for ugly scenes to come.  Glad you're enjoying the 'ride', too!  :0)  Thanks for reading and reviewing.  Be blessed._

**_PRETENDER FANATIC_**_: Hey, don't worry about it.  I know yer reading, so that's what I care about!  You reviewed this time and that's just super.  Ah, it's their thing, what can I say.  It gives them leverage and being trained ninjas, it comes with the territory.  Poor Mikey, yep he does mess up a lot.  Still, he's wicked with a chuk!  LOL  Couldn't resist Shari's sense of humor.  It's a wicked one, though, so the guys better be on their guard.  Oh, Donny does feel he's in deep for the moment– in more ways than one.  Thanks for reading and reviewing.  Be blessed. _

**_VESTQUEX_**_: Ah, it seems to be a playing field.  He plays her, she plays him – her sense of humor, for one.  Naw, plenty of time down the road for 'high kicking'!  :0)  Never gave the color of her loafers a thought, so brown it is!  LOL  Shari is more than mad, me thinks, but things do improve with the next chapter.  Thanks for reading and reviewing.  Be blessed.   _


	7. Taking Sides

DISCLAIMER: Hmm....still thinking I own them, do you? Well. Bwahahaha – I don't. Other than Ms. Brentwood, I'm a borrower, unabashed and just like the rest of YOU! HA! Go read, review, enjoy. Be blessed.  
  
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CHAPTER 7 - Taking Sides.  
  
The incessant knocking was what woke her up. Shari stirred in her bed, warm and comfortable under the blankets and not necessarily wanting to open her eyes. She turned away from the intrusive sound, burrowing deeper into her cocoon. Yet, the knocking persisted, maybe even more so.  
  
Unable to go back to sleep, now that her neurons were beginning to fire up, she resigned herself to her fate.  
  
"FINE! I'm up already. Just HOLD yer BRITCHES!" She yelled out irritably, forcing her mind to wake even more.  
  
Sitting up and rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Shari looked over at the alarm clock on the side table next to the bed. "Six o'clock! Good grief, who do they think they are, my drill sergeant?!" she complained, yawning in the middle of her rebuke. "Who could be up this early just to wake me up...oh, yeah, MR. Tello."  
  
Grumpily, she swung her legs out from under the covers – and immediately felt the chilling bite of a room devoid of heat.  
  
"Hoo Ya! Man, can't they afford any heat! With as much money they seem to have..." she quickly stood up and grabbed her robe, slipping it on hurriedly. She hunched just a bit against the almost frigid air while trying to find her slippers. Once she located them, she quickly shoved her feet in, recoiling yet again from the persistent knocking.  
  
"OKAY, OKAY, I'm coming already!" she yelled out, making for the bedroom door as she finished tying off the belt to her robe.  
  
She came into the living room and swore irritably from the continued knocking. It then occurred to her that it seemed a little lower in proximity on the door to where she thought it ought to be. Cocking her head to one side as she approached it and studying the door intently, she wondered if Don stood shorter in the morning. She opened it and expected to see him standing there, but her line of sight fell about two feet lower. There, standing just outside the threshold was the strangest creature she had ever seen. However, she knew in the next thought that she had seen something like it before – back in New York, to be exact.  
  
"Hi," it said curtly, "Just wanted to let you know you can go home!" and with that, the young iguanid turned tail – literally – and headed back towards the stairs.  
  
Her irritation evaporating due to her surprise and being mildly amused, Shari called out to it, "Ah, I don't have any intentions of leaving, but you're welcomed to come in and visit with me, if ya want!"  
  
The creature turned around and scowled, "And...maybe I don't care to? Besides, this is my place and if I wanted to, I could have come in WITHOUT knocking. So, shove that up your..." but he was quickly interrupted by a stern voice that was all too familiar with Shari.  
  
"DEVON! Get down here right now! I gave you explicit orders NOT to disturb Ms. Brentwood!" Don yelled.  
  
Shari had to clap her hands over her mouth to keep from smiling at the brazenness of the one she now knew as Devon. The young mutant scrunched up his face in the direction of the voice and then swung a baleful glare back at the woman. Noting her amusement, he straightened up indignantly, "If you know what's good for ya, lady, you'll go back home!" Then he headed through the short breezeway to the stairs and disappeared as he clambered down, his tail twitching irritably.  
  
Shari could only shake her head in disbelief, "Devon. Must be male, by the sound of 'em. Doesn't' take after Mike, that's for sure, neither in temperament nor looks. Must be the mom, then." That thought rooted her right where she stood, "If the son is that way, I can only imagine what the mother must be like!" Smiling in wry amusement she muttered, "Poor Mike. Oh, for that matter, poor Raph!" Chuckling to herself, Shari made her way over to the kitchen to see if she could scrounge up some coffee, yawning once more and stretching the kinks out of her back.  
  
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Shari had her day clothes on as well as a heavy sweater, which helped to ward off the still chilly air in the room. She was well into her second cup of coffee as she sat at the dinette table, looking out through the window towards the back yard. She was taking in the magnificence of the giant trees along its perimeter. They were massive in height as well as width, certainly a sight to behold. Though she loved Croton on the Hudson, Big Sur was starting to edge its way onto Shari's favorites list. Still, the job at hand would be the deciding factor if she elected to stay. She then thought about the evening before and the fiasco that ensued with Mike's ill-timed comment. Now that she was re-considering Don's offer after he placated her, Shari saw the humor in his brother's nervous behavior. Most likely, had she bailed out and returned to New York, she was certain that Don would have ripped Mike's shell right off his back. His younger brother was the most pitiful looking mutant she had ever seen.  
  
Then a movement down below caught her attention. Shari looked and noticed as Don was beginning to ascend the stairs to her apartment.  
  
"Hmm...must be meeting time." She sighed, getting up and placing her now empty cup in the sink.  
  
Before he could knock, Shari had the door opened, "Well, Devon seems to fit right in with the family!" she teased, welcoming the turtle inside.  
  
"Humph!" was all Don would say as he came in., "The boy is one of our main problems." He admitted. "Basically a decent kid but he has a chip on his shoulder that's causing a lot of trouble."  
  
"Well, in my generation the best way to handle something like that was to knock it off!" the woman commented, closing the door behind her.  
  
"Believe me, we've tried." Don allowed, sinking casually into one of the two couches in the living area. "But, that's not what I've come to talk to you about."  
  
"Oh, really...maybe it's about Rahab?" Shari asked, taking the opposite couch to face him.  
  
"In a way, yes. But there's something else that I need to tell you." Don said with a flat expression.  
  
Leaning back against the couch with her arms draped across it and then crossing her legs to get comfortable, Shari replied, "Well, shoot - I'm all ears."  
  
Not wasting any time, he said in a matter of fact way, "I told you last night that this job is more than watching kids and that your skills will come into play. I want to let you know that I'm aware of your affiliation with Special Forces." Don paused to let that fact sink in.  
  
Shari sat there and worked the inside of her cheek casually, staring intently at Don. "Hmm...really, is that so?" she said evenly and devoid of emotion.  
  
"Yes," he allowed, "I know General Tallen personally and when he returned my call night before last he briefed me on your resume'." Don took a breath, "I have to say, I'm quite impressed." He smiled to ease the obvious tension that was slowly starting to develop between them.  
  
"You - went behind my back, then." Shari accused; her voice currently more frigid than the air in the room. "Seems there isn't anything you won't do for information, is there, Don?" she seethed softly.  
  
"Well, you have to admit, the skill you showed not only when you threw my brother but your recovery when he tossed you in my living room eluded to someone knowing more than your basic martial arts." He smiled. "Although Tallen couldn't tell me exactly what assignments you did, they were classified; he did give me a run-down to the skills you possess. In my opinion - you're perfect for the job!" Don relaxed against the back of the couch, now that his bit of news was out.  
  
"How can what I know have any bearing with Devon and his siblings? There are at least two more running around here somewhere, correct?" Shari asked. "Wouldn't a woman with a degree in child psychology be more fitting?"  
  
"Ah, well, it's not so much in raising them or in understanding them that I've selected you; however that is the capacity in which Rahab will see you. The real reason I wanted you here is for protection. We have an unsettling problem in Japan where my brothers and I are needed. Mike will stay here where he's not physically able to fight as he used to. He suffered a pretty bad injury years ago that has basically retired him from service." Don watched the woman assess his words before continuing, "So when I saw how easily you dispatched Raph and recovered from his own attack on you and then when I heard from General Tallen, I knew you were right for the real task at hand."  
  
"What kind of service was Mike in? I've never seen him on any enlistment roster before." Shari inquired, puzzled just a little. She readjusted her position so she could lean forward, her interest peaking.  
  
"And you wouldn't have...he only served his family – or – clan, as we like to call ourselves." Don replied. He again observed the woman as she digested this newest bit of information.  
  
Shari ran the word around in her head. Where had she heard it before? Clan; it meant family but in some cultures it meant more than family. It meant commitment and honor and...Japan! That's where she had heard it. Didn't Don just say something about going to Japan?  
  
"Are you telling me that you're Japanese!" she scoffed, her eyes a bit wide in merriment.  
  
Ignoring her obvious amusement, Don explained, "We were born here in the states but our teacher, our Master, practiced many Japanese traditions. It has been ingrained into us since we were very young. It is a way of life for us." Don didn't want to say it outright but preferred the woman come to the correct assumption herself.  
  
"Way of life?" Shari repeated. She knew of many cultures that practiced many things and attributed them all to a 'way of life' that guided them. Honor and integrity with the Japanese was quite well known. However, within that society, another sect resided that espoused such virtues above all else, even unto death! In a brief moment, Shari's eyes lit up.  
  
"You're – ninja?!" She almost expressed a laugh but caught it in time. One thing she knew quite well amongst such groups, you never laughed at what they were, not unless you had every intention to accept their reproof. For the moment, Shari preferred to warm up to such a rebuke.  
  
"Yes, we are. As you feel about your clandestine affairs with the government, we feel likewise about our way of life. To General Tallen and those like him as well as the public, we are simple mutants who do business, raise our families, and shop at the local grocery store. We rarely employ our skills unless our very existence is threatened or our homes invaded. This is the problem that we faced in the beginning before our discovery and one that continually dogs us even to this day."  
  
Well, that certainly explained to her why Raph knew self-defense and it confirmed Shari's suspicions about Don, as well. Yet, it seemed that Mike was also involved with such things, although now – from what Don just shared - out of action due to injuries sustained in a past sortie. Shari was truly intrigued and now understood Tallen's expression about this being an opportunity of a lifetime. Yet by Don's account, the General was ignorant of this little known fact concerning them. Possibly just working for Don in general, whether directly or through other means – such as Devon and his family, was enough to warrant her ex-boss's appraisal.  
  
"Why are you telling me this if you prefer it to remain a secret, though?" she asked.  
  
"Since I now know your secret, by telling you mine, we both have something of value that belongs to the other. I am trusting you to honor our way, as I will honor you and the work you have done in secret for the government." Don entreated patiently.  
  
Shari nodded her head, recognizing almost immediately the ploy that Don had just used on her. If she keeps his secrets, he'll do likewise with hers. However, any remiss on her part and her clandestine history would become public knowledge. At least, that was how she saw it. "So, what you've initially done is to blackmail me!" she sniffed indignantly.  
  
Don's eyes shot up wide, "Not in the least, Ms. Brentwood! If I wanted to blackmail you, I would have held over your head what General Tallen told me just to get you to do whatever service I requested of you. I wouldn't have any reason to share with you about our ninjitsu heritage. By telling you my family's secret, I am evening the playing field. It is, after all, the honorable way to do business and the least I could do to show a sincere apology for 'duping you'."  
  
Shari's face blushed a little bit. She had been so used to blackmail tactics herself that it never occurred to her that Don might have felt he owed her something by comparison. She smiled sheepishly, admitting, "Well, I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions. My old job sort of paved the way for that one, I'm afraid."  
  
"No offense taken; I was more concerned about offending you." He sighed and shook his head, "We have much ground to cover before we can trust one another, that much is certain. However, I do need to discuss with you our problem in Japan." Don paused and then continued, "There is an order of ninja that involve themselves in unsavory business practices. They once had operations in New York, but when we became public knowledge we were able to bring the legal authorities in to quell their crime syndication."  
  
Shari perked up, "The Foot, yes, I remember them quite well."  
  
"Really?" Don was surprised, "How so?" he then asked her.  
  
"The CIA was concerned about terrorism so they sent in a team to infiltrate the organization. The Foot were determined not to be much of a threat on the national level, so we let it go and allowed local authorities to take care of them."  
  
Don sat there rather stunned, "Not a THREAT?!" He was more than surprised; he was somewhat offended.  
  
"On a national level? No, not at all. Though I suppose on an individual level they could be." She admitted sheepishly. "Sorry, but that was just how they saw it."  
  
"That organization was hell-bent on wiping us out!" Don complained, sitting up indignantly.  
  
"Maybe so, but their method of operation was like a local gang. The Federal government rarely gets involved with thugs like that. Guess when you have terrorist willing to die and take a few innocent people with them, you have to decide on collateral damage in order to save a hundred thousand more. It's just a simple matter of numbers and logistics, Don." Shari shrugged apologetically.  
  
"Hmm...maybe so, but if they invaded your home and threatened you with extinction, you might be more easily persuaded to see it the way we do." Don commented quietly.  
  
"Possibly. Still, Oruku Saki and his sister were small fry compared to what we had to deal with on an international level." Shari insisted, but then changed the topic, "So, what problems are brewing in Japan that would make you need someone here to protect Mike and his family?"  
  
Don took a deep breath to dispel his disgruntled feelings, saying, "There's been a threat against the home-front here. Indications of an invasion in Japan, though, are calling us away. My other brother, Leonardo, has a Ryu, or school, outside of Osaka. It's a well-fortified compound, but there have been Foot agents that have managed to find their way in by posing as students. Usually Leo can discern subterfuge of that nature but these soldiers were mentally well trained to shield their true intentions from my brother's discernment." Don took a breath, "They've caused a lot of problems and an unfortunate loss of life, as well. However, we have to assume that it's a diversion. Consequently, we need someone here who could hold their own. As you can well imagine, it wouldn't be easy to hire just anyone." He smiled at her now, nodding in affirmation to her.  
  
"Yes, I can imagine." Shari thoughtfully considered this new development and starting to see it as one of her more interesting assignments. "Yet, from what I read about the Foot, they're very skilled with their ninjitsu." She looked away to gaze at the redwoods, still visible through the window from where she sat. She then gazed back at Don, "What makes you think your home here would be in danger or that I could even successfully defend it?"  
  
"First, I was assured by Tallen that you are quite capable. He said your ability to formulate a plan of defense, as well as an attack, is highly respected within the Force. Second, we don't have any proof other than our prior experience." Don explained, "The way the Foot operate, causing mayhem thousands of miles away while the real target is more local are clues for us. I have been, on more than one occasion, such a target. However, as you noticed when we were driving up here, Mike has yet to install any gates or security fences."  
  
"Yes, given your own line of work, that surprised me." Shari admitted, settling back against the couch once again. This conversation was more to her liking, something that she had been missing over the past several months. It was obvious to her in that moment that retirement did have its limitations.  
  
"He's getting them installed next week. Foolishly, he had hoped to be like anyone else in this community. That is not possible, of course. This new threat has sobered him up quite a bit, but we can't wait until the fence is in place before flying out to Japan. The problem is escalating too quickly. It was just fate that you came along when you did in Croton. Validating your position at the Pentagon was just a formality. Yet, what General Tallen shared with me outside of that was unexpected and, I have to admit, I greatly appreciated it. That alone solidified my decision in trying to convince you into staying."  
  
"Even with my tirade last evening and giving your brother a bad-ass time?" Shari teased.  
  
"Especially because of that, Ms. Brentwood!" Don laughed. "The last person we need here is one who will back down. We fight to the death, if need be."  
  
Shari grew more serious as she assessed the weight of Don's words. He was telling her the truth and being one-hundred percent genuine. Solemnly, she commented, "Then, it looks like we're of the same mind, Mr. Tello. I never go into battle without a prayer, a purpose, and a plan." She smiled ruefully, "You can be assured that not one interloper will get passed me and if it comes down to it...I will gladly forfeit my life to assure that endeavor!"  
  
Don sighed in relief, content that he had indeed found the right protector.  
  
Now, if Shari could just reign in his nephew, his world would be almost perfect.  
  
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VESTQUEX – Yep, she's ticked off all right. Rahab and Raphy have a history of not getting along and Raph sort of went 'weird' in the third to last chapter of Rahab. This story takes place about 2-3 years after that event. Kind of sad, really, since they were deeply in love for a while. Anyway, only time and chapters will tell if Shari and Rahab have words. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed.  
  
RAMICA – It's been while, yes indeedee, since Raph's last visit. Considering what happened then and even with his subsequent 'recovery', it's a given she would seethe to see him again. Mike does have a tendency to 'oops' quite a bit. His bubbly personality certainly is a factor! Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing! Be blessed.  
  
BUSLADY OF SOCAL – Rahab is a mix of human psych and iguanid tendencies! Add to that certain historical – or hysterical – events and you have a gal who has her limits. Yeah, I think Shari will, too, once she sees how he's treated. Then again, once she discovers the background to it all...who knows? Well, you know me, my stories take a while to warm up. I've yet to figure out how to 'hurry it up', but I do keep trying! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed. 


	8. It's All In The Family

_DISCLAIMER: So far, no royalties from the TMNT's have made it to my meager mailbox.  All I have to my name is the plot and story line, Shari Brentwood, and the redwoods behind Mike's house!  WA Peabody owns Rahab, Gaele, Devon, Seth, & Riahna, plus the estate in Big Sur.  Oh, and Thomas, too.  Eastman and Laird or Mirage Studios owns the TMNT's.  Lucky dogs.  _

_One more thing: I've been trying to backlog my chapters so I can upload without the panic of trying to get one going.  Unfortunately, I've run out of chapters for WYLEI and will be panicking from here on out!  :0)  So, be patient…with all that I've loaded myself down with (what was I thinking????), I'm doin' the best I can!  Also, I'll be leaving the States for the Philippines on July 29th and won't be back until August 14th.  My brain won't be back until well after that, so consider the time an opportunity for you, the reader, to re-read my stories and catch any boo boos I've made, then leave me a note( E-mail ) re: them, include chapter numbers, and where in the work I goofed!  That is if you feel so inclined.  Thanks and y'all be blessed!_

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CHAPTER 8 – It's All in the Family

While Thomas was fixing the heating in the apartment, Shari went outside to stretch her legs.  She squinted at first against the bright mid-morning sun.  It journeyed in a lazy arc against the cerulean blue sky, shortening the shadows as it headed for high noon.  She soon adjusted to the light, however, taking note of a gentle sage-scented breeze that wafted in from the surrounding eastern hillside.  The soft gust of wind traveled westward, bringing with it some warmth to the area and the promise of a pleasant day.  A few butterflies flitted about as they explored the flowers growing around the yard with the buzz of bees adding to the ambience of the outdoors.

No longer chilled, Shari cast off her sweater and threw it over her right shoulder.  She moved around the sparsely landscaped yard while she inspected the various plants and flowers.  Despite the sage-seasoned breeze, the air had a taste of salt, a testament to the ocean not too far away.  The woman had to admit to herself that more and more she was beginning to like it where she was in California.  She was even beginning to entertain the notion of looking for a place to live once things began to settle down.  Though she loved the four seasons of New York, the balmy feel of the central west coast was very inviting to her. 

As she wandered around the yard, she observed the tall majestic trees just a little north of where she stood.  Not even a half acre from the main house, their immense size made them appear closer than they actually were, dwarfing the property considerably.  Seeing them from her current vantage point rather than through her apartment window, when she was having her cup of coffee, was breathtaking.

Recalling the evening before, it had been too dark then to afford Shari the luxury of seeing what she was looking at now.  What trees she had observed were back-dropped by the evening sky, the scant bit of light coming from the smattering of stars and the quarter moon.  Now, with morning in full swing, she took in the true wonder of the estate, feeling slightly overwhelmed and amazingly at peace.  Yet, she was so caught up with the grandeur of the landscape, Shari failed to hear the one who walked up behind her on silent feet.

"Plannin' on puttin' in a pool one day!" it said cheerily.

She spun around, somewhat alarmed and clearly not pleased with being so surprised.  "What?" she asked, a bit agitated. 

Mike repeated himself, smiling at Shari's unease, "I said, we're gonna put a pool in one of these days.  Maybe with a rock waterfall and a slide.  Kids'll really eat it up; they just love the water.  'Course, they're half turtle and iguana, so it's sort of nat'ral for 'em." He laughed then and shoved his hand out to her, "Guess a second intro is in order consid'ring last evenin' an' all.  Mike Angelo, at yer service!"

Relaxing under his forced drawl, Shari smiled a little and took his proffered hand, receiving a very generous shake in return.  Mike didn't linger too long with his grip, though, releasing it and then looking her over.  Then, motioning towards the larger house, he invited, "'Bout ready to eat breakfast.  Would love to have ya join us."

"Hmm…does your wife know about me, yet?" Shari asked, looking past Mike and over towards the sliding glass door by the patio.  She didn't necessarily want to walk in on his wife unexplained.  Shari was sure that Rahab knew about her by now, but it still would be awkward just walking in without really knowing if she did.  She looked at Mike and saw a grin crease his face at her question.  

"Oh, that?  Yeah – Rahab knows.  Just so's you know, though, she's been outta sorts lately.  Don't take anythin' she says person'lly, 'kay?" he grinned broader and then gently took Shari's nearest elbow to guide her ahead of him.

However, she deftly removed her arm from Mike's gentle grasp, explaining, "No offense, but I'm perfectly capable of finding my own way." She never liked to be managed and there wasn't any way she was going to change now.  For one capable of getting around and handling herself independent of any chaperon, it all seemed demeaning to her.

"S'kay, Ms. Brentwood, no offense.  Jus' tryn' ta be nice is all." Mike explained as he smiled a little thinner.  "'Sides, the way Rahab can be, you're a walk in 'th' park!" he sniggered quite easily, too easily as far as Shari was concerned.  It seemed like a mask to her, as if he were hiding something unpleasant.  She then proceeded to follow Mike as he led the way towards the house.

As they neared the patio, however, she could soon hear people yelling, or – more to the point – she could hear _someone_ yelling.  By the sound of it, the voice was female and she seemed quite angry.  Then, there was a loud crash as if something fragile had fallen and broken inside.  The next thing that happened, Shari saw Raph storming out of the house through the patio doors.  With his head down, he muttered under his breath as he rushed off towards the cottage.  Shari noticed that his hands were clenching and unclenching in anger as he walked. 

"KEEP OUT OF MY HOUSE, YOU HEAR ME, RAPHAEL!" Rahab yelled from the patio door.  She was quite livid, that much was obvious, and what Shari could see of it, the iguanid's tail was lashing the floor viciously.

Raph stopped and turned around at her, glaring back and said, "You just can't forgive can you, Rahab?  What do I have ta do to convince you I'm sorry?" 

"It's too late for sorries, Raphael!  Too late for you!  I told you the last time to stay away." Rahab yelled.

"Business, Rahab, I'm only here on business.  But, for you, I'll stay away, 'cuz that's the kind of guy I am!" Raph replied sarcastically and just as angrily.  Short of running, he turned back around and headed for the guesthouse as fast as he could.  He noticed Mike right away and glared at him.  "She's in one of her moods again, Mike!  I'll be in the cottage for the rest of my stay!" he growled out.  He shot a look at Shari as if daring her to make any comments. 

Fortunately, the woman kept her mouth shut.  With the tension on the patio as thick as a London fog, she could sense a volatile situation when she saw one.  In that moment she understood what Don had meant about staying off of Raphael's 'personal page' concerning Rahab.  Looking over at Mike's wife, Shari saw rage etched on the female's face.  Different species or not, her fury was as visible as the monstrous trees only a few hundred feet away and nearly as imposing!  Then, much to the woman's chagrin, Rahab took note of her – and she scowled even more!

_"Great, now she's going to get on my case and I haven't even done anything yet!"_ Shari silently groaned in apprehension.

However, Mike took the initiative and quickly edged passed the woman, meeting his wife a dozen steps ahead of Shari.  He whispered something to Rahab, readily accepting the tempestuous expression she gave him, but then she backed down and nodded reluctantly.  The iguanid gave Shari one more discerning look, sizing her up, and then turned around and slipped back inside the house.

Mike watched his wife retreat but then met Shari outside before she made it to the door.  He lowered his head to her, whispering, "Remember, you're the _nanny_; Rahab has to be convinced of this.  She's not dumb by a long shot!"

Shari smirked, "But if we get attacked, can I blow my cover?"

Mike looked at her for a long moment as if he hadn't quite fathomed what she just said, but then he smiled, grinning, "Sure …but I don't think it'll come to that."

Shari straightened up a bit at Mike's admittance, somewhat confused.  She asked, "Ah, Don said that he was expecting some kind of a hit on your place; that's why he hired me."  If he had been lying to her just to get her to do 'nanny work', she'd have him filleted and fried in short order.  

Mike's expression went flat as he nodded, "Hmm…yeah, that could happen.  Wouldn't be the first time – and that's the reason why Rahab has to stay in the dark!  She'd freak out if there was any expectation of an impending attack."  He motioned her towards the patio door, "So, breakfast?"

Shari hesitated at first and then nodded, making her way towards the entrance.  She was a little apprehensive about meeting the resident adult female.  As many adversaries as she had gone up against throughout her career, this was all new territory for her. Human relations, or otherwise, was not necessarily her forte'.  She could play the part well enough at the Pentagon, but to do it twenty-four seven was certainly going to prove to her a most challenging assignment. 

Stepping into the house, she saw the inside for the very first time.  She noticed Rahab stooped to a crouch in the hallway, currently sweeping up what remained of a vase, broken pieces of varying sizes scattered along the floor.  She ignored Mike and Shari as they came in from outside.  She was grumbling quite audibly and most of it about some 'jerk'.  Shari assumed, and probably correctly, too, that the 'jerk' in question was Raphael.  More than likely, he was also the target of the vase.  In a brief moment of compassion, she felt a little sympathy for the brute, but it only lasted for a second or two.  Considering what she learned earlier that morning about this family, she was amused that a single female like Rahab could intimidate someone as skilled as Don and Mike's brother were.  It all seemed hysterically funny no matter how much Shari felt sorry for him in that moment.

From where she stood in the house, though, Shari could see the other end of the hall where the front door was located.  She noticed the kitchen situated off to her left with what appeared to be the family room just beyond that.  An atrium was off to one side from there, surrounded on three sides by clear glass partitions.  Then, from where she observed, she noticed there were a few more rooms off of the main hallway that suggested a formal living room and possibly a den.  She noted that unlike the hacienda architecture of the outside, contemporary décor ruled the interior.  She thought it an amusing contrast.  One would think that whatever the style of the home's architecture was, the inside would compliment it in some way.  It was apparent that the family – or Rahab – had an eclectic sense of design.

With some gentle urging from Mike, Shari continued into the house and came around the right through the hallway.  She soon found herself heading into the dining room.  She noted Don and Devon were already there, sitting on one side of the table with a vacant spot next to the boy.  It was obvious that was where she was to sit.  Three more children sat opposite them on the other side of the table with two of the youngsters appearing to be female.  The one in the middle, however, was male - if his clothing was any indication of his gender. 

"Say, I heard you've already met Devon!" Mike cheered with a grin as he motioned with his hand for her to take her seat.

Shari looked at him, amused, and nodded, "Yes, he was sort of my wake up call this morning!"  She ambled around to the waiting chair, noticing that Rahab had now joined them and was taking her seat at one end of the dining table.

Mike busted out a laugh, "Yep, he's an early riser all right!" 

"Hmm…well…" and this time Shari looked directly at Devon, "Maybe we can set that '_alarm'_ for an hour later?"

The boy glowered at her and commented, "Or and hour earlier?  Maybe even **two**?"  Devon sneered contemptuously.

A voice Shari didn't recognize interrupted the slowly brewing dissention.  It came from one of the other children.

"Devon, please try to be nice for a change." It said.

Shari took her seat, sitting down gracefully, and noted that the other speaker was the younger male.  He sat to the left of the obvious elder of the four children, a female.  That one seemed to be quietly taking things in for the moment, assessing the gradually escalating war of words.  She was watching casually, although Shari could tell she was quite anxious about what was going on.

"Yeah, well, maybe I will if SHE leaves!  You know as well as I do, Seth, that we DON'T need a NANNY!" Devon declared defiantly, snorting his disgust.

Finally, the female spoke up, looking at her brother across from her, "If you'd just cause fewer problems, Dev, maybe Uncle Don wouldn't have had a reason!" Her eyes flit with anger for a moment but then they cooled down considerably as she caught Mike's gaze.  She lowered her head contritely and fiddled with her napkin, quickly laying it across her lap.

"Gaele, I will not have any of you blaming the other for whatever decisions we make!  We make them for the whole family, not just in part." Mike admonished her.  He continued to look at his daughter to drive home the point of his words.  She nodded submissively and sighed.

"Well, now that the pleasantries are over with…" Don began, "Rahab, I would like to introduce you to Shari Brentwood.  Shari, Rahab Angelo."  The turtle smiled warmly, but the lone human at the table could sense a bit of apprehension behind his words. 

The woman nodded towards the female iguanid, who did likewise, although she responded with a little more reservation.  It was almost as if she were embarrassed or shy, a direct contrast to what had just preceded the morning meal with Raph.  Rahab slipped her napkin across her lap and then looked back up to catch Shari's gaze.

"I must apologize for the – ah – rude behavior from earlier." She began, "Suffice it to say, Raphael and I have a bad history.  His being here has upset me." She paused just a little as if assessing her next words and the subtle reaction from her husband and brother-in-law.  Then, "Still, I should have kept my reaction in check and for that I am sorry."  Rahab licked her lips just a little and then reached over to retrieve her juice glass, taking a generous sip from it.

"That's all right.  We're all allowed to blow off steam once in a while!" Shari replied casually.

"Yeah, since my dad almost _killed_ her and Seth!" Devon spat out.  "He's such a _jerk_!" the boy growled, almost mimicking his mother's accent on the word.

"DEVON!" Don declared, "You will refrain from passing any judgment on your father!"

That caught Shari's attention like no other.  She looked over at Mike and then at Rahab, finally allowing her gaze to settle on the iguanid boy who sat sullen and angry next to her.

_"Father, Raphael is his father?"_ She quietly exclaimed to herself.  _"Well, that certainly explains a lot!"_ Shari almost chuckled out loud but caught herself in time.  Looking back over at Rahab, she saw the contriteness on the female's face, almost as if just hearing Don admit to the boy's parentage was taxing.  _"Hmm…maybe they were married before Mike came onto the picture." _She wondered to herself.  Looking at each of the children, the only ones that had any resemblance to Mike were Gaele and Riahna.  Gaele seemed a little stouter than Riahna, with the latter obviously taking after her mother.  They were children, of course, but with their teen years still ahead of them, there would be remarkable transformations to be sure. 

However, as she looked at the middle child, she noted that Seth seemed too different from the others all the way around.  His coloring was quite a bit paler compared to the rest of them, with eyes that were nearly transparent in hue.  He had the same blue hair and the iguanid tail of his mother and siblings, something that Shari noticed when she first walked into the dining room.  Yet, something else separated him from the others.  Could he have had a different father as well?  She stole a glance over at Don, who was busy serving up the scrambled eggs from a bowl that Rahab had just handed to him.  Shari did a quick study of his features and then compared them to the young male sitting across from her.  Keeping her facial expressions flat, she knew right away that Don could not be the boy's father.  It certainly wasn't Mike and, with Devon as an example, it certainly wasn't Raphael.  Maybe this other brother – Leonardo – might hold the answer she needed.  Not that any of it mattered, since her job – as far as the family was concerned – was to care for the children.  Yet, it did pique her curiosity a great deal. 

Still, deciding that whatever answers there were would present themselves in due time, Shari shelved her inquisitiveness for the moment.  With Devon scowling next to her, she decided to focus on giving him as much of her attention as she could.  At the very least, he would soon know that he couldn't intimidate her any more than his father had tried doing.  Just thinking about the fact that Raph had a son with the same kind of attitude like himself amused Shari like no other. 

Smiling openly, she chuckled silently, "_It's true what they say, a parent's curse is to end up having kids just like themselves!"  _

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**_LADY VENOM_**_: Hey, don't sweat it about reviewing!  I would find it difficult to do likewise without a PC, too!  As far as Devon being a normal angsty teen, he's around 10 or so, with Gaele about 2 years older, then Seth at a year younger than Devon ( Rahab had them close together, all due to Leo falling from grace shortly after she had Devon), and then Riahna is about 2 years younger than Seth.  There ya have it, the boring age differences between the kids.  This is all conjecture, of course, since Wendy never did give an age difference for the kids.  I sort of had to re-read parts of Rahab to figure it out.  Even with that, I'm sure there might be a bigger spread.  Anyway, just read when you can and review if you're able, but don't you dare feel guilty about not doing either, okay?  There are bigger things in life to worry about!  :0)  Thanks for reading and reviewing, though, just the same.  Be blessed._

**_VESTQUEX_**_: Like me, you have a hard time with short reviews or anything where finger meets keyboard!  :0)  That's just fine with me; your reviews crack me up all the time…I look forward to them!  Anyhew…glad you liked the chapter.  I do try to write for my readers but sometimes the story line needs tending to, as well.  Such as this one.  Not as much action as maybe some would like, but patience has its reward, so…  Donnie's my fav, too, so I'm more than delighted to have him in this story ( how could I not!), regardless of capacity.  Of course, this will be Raph centric – eventually.  Have to figure out a way to keep him on property!  It has to build up a little, folks, so bare with me.  Or, is that bear with me.  Good grief, please keep yer clothes on if it's the former.  Thanks for reading and reviewing, as always, and be blessed while yer at it!_

**_IN THE CLOUDS_**_: Love Devon…hmm…you're weird, ya know that?  LOL  Yeah, I guess his moxie will be Shari's litmus test if she can really handle this assignment.  Either him or Rahab…haven't decided, yet.  Well, as you've read from this latest chapter (8), Shari's discovered where the 'tude' comes from!  :0)  Shari has a lot to learn, but me thinks Devon will be in 'reality check 101' as well.  Thanks for reading and reviewing!  Be blessed._

**_PHOENIX-RISING_**_: Sleepy, are we?  Hmm….It's currently 1:34 A.M. right now as I'm typing out my comments to your review.  I know what it is to be sleepy.  So, as soon as I'm done here, I'm heading off to bed!   Glad you read my meager ff.net offering and left evidence that you did.  Glad you enjoyed it, too.  Get some sleep, now, okay?  Thanks for reading and reviewing.  Be blessed!_

**_RAMICA_**_: Oh, Shari will learn a whole lot more as things develop!  As far as Devon is concerned, he's had a attitude from day one – just trying to make him take a bath at age 'whatever he was' in Rahab was a hoot!  Very stubborn little boy.  He's only older, now, and more than stubborn.  He will give Mike and Rahab fits in a few years, so his personality is pretty much set to go for that right now as far as the timeline is concerned with this story.  Poor Raph.  Poor Rahab.  Yet, poor Shari!  :0)  Thanks for reading and reviewing.  Be blessed._

**_DANCINGFAE_**_: Hey, don't worry; your review was just wonderful!  I can picture that sailboat – or maybe a horse dragging Shari around.  Either way, great word picture there!  :0)  Don can only be honorable; it's in his nature and training.  Doesn't mean he can't make mistakes, but then those are rare occasions.  LOL  Glad you're enjoying the story!  BTW, what is __Namaarie mellonamin?  Thanks for reading and reviewing.  Be blessed.___


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